Canadians continue to struggle with poor passport service: Long wait times and endless queues

Canadians are facing frustratingly long wait times when dealing with Passport Canada, both in person and over the phone, leading to widespread dissatisfaction with the agency’s customer service. Post-COVID chaos at passport offices prompted the federal government to promise changes to improve the process and ensure timely delivery of passports to travellers.

Despite Passport Canada’s claims of returning to normal service standards, data and reports indicate a poor track record in customer service. An analysis by CBC News revealed that people in urban centers often wait several hours at Passport Canada offices, with wait times exceeding two to three hours in some locations.

One retiree, Debbie Braun, shared her experience of waiting 40 days to receive her passport, twice the promised processing time. She spent over 12 hours on hold and faced numerous challenges with incorrect addresses and unhelpful operators. Braun’s daughter had a similar experience, highlighting the agency’s failure to meet its processing targets.

The government’s online application status tracker, introduced to prevent future delays, also faced issues, with users struggling to obtain file numbers and facing long wait times on the phone. Despite promises of improvements, Braun expressed disappointment in the government’s handling of the passport program.

With no single department taking full responsibility for the passport program, concerns remain about the efficiency and effectiveness of the process. While efforts are being made to introduce online passport applications, the timeline for implementation remains unclear.

Overall, the ongoing challenges faced by Canadians dealing with Passport Canada highlight the need for significant improvements in customer service and processing times to restore faith in government institutions.