Service Canada braces for surge in passport renewals amid U.S. land border reopening
Global News
Demand is already climbing, with 467,541 passports issued this year as of Sept. 30.
Pierce Schoel thought he might be able to avoid a long wait at the passport office in Kitchener, Ont. by going in the middle of the day.
He was surprised to discover line-ups out the door. The security guard told people they’d likely be waiting two, even three hours. But with a long-awaited trip to Mexico on the horizon — his first overseas trip since the pandemic began — he stuck it out.
“I’ve been waiting to travel for quite a long time,” Shoel said after applying for his passport Friday. “I’m ready to get back out there and start traveling.”
He’s not the only one. Shoel and his fellow travellers in line may be part of the deluge of passport applications Canadian officials are braced for.
Urgent passport services have been available throughout the pandemic, but with borders closed and public health measures in place most people had little use for them.
Service Canada issued more than 2.3-million passports the year before the pandemic began, but handed out only 363,225 the year after that.
Already demand is climbing, with 467,541 passports issued this year as of Sept. 30.
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