Government misses deadline for online passport renewals by fall 2023

Article content material

OTTAWA — The federal government has missed its personal deadline to permit Canadians to resume their passports on-line and there’s no new date obtainable for when the service is likely to be obtainable.

Final Might, when the federal government unveiled a newly designed passport that eliminated photos of Canadian historical past from the doc, together with Terry Fox and Vimy Ridge, it additionally promised that Canadians would be capable to renew their passport on-line by fall of 2023.

Article content material

That deadline got here and went with none adjustments. Matthew Krupovich, a spokesperson for the Immigration division, mentioned they discovered unspecified safety points that delayed the method.

“The discharge of the web software was postponed as system assessments confirmed vulnerabilities. We’re bettering safeguard important companies for Canadians and mitigate potential dangers. We stay dedicated to making a dependable and safe on-line passport-renewal system,” he mentioned.

The federal government processes anyplace between 2.5 million and 5 million passport yearly and way back to 2020 a evaluation of the system has advisable an internet choice to streamline the method. Canada’s passport system was overwhelmed in 2022 as individuals returned to journey following the pandemic, with individuals ready months to get a passport or standing for hours exterior passport workplaces for emergency journey.

Article content material

The federal government has largely cleared that backlog, however Krupovich mentioned the division’s hope is that an internet renewal course of will permit the division to higher handle volumes.

“This software may also assist us to higher handle fluctuating software volumes and assist ease the stress on front-line employees, thereby enhancing consumer entry to passport companies,” he mentioned.

The brand new proposed system would permit individuals to resume their passports, add a brand new photograph and pay any charges all on-line with out going to a passport workplace. Anybody making use of for a brand new passport would nonetheless must go to an workplace in individual.

Krupovich didn’t give a brand new deadline for when the web renewal is likely to be made obtainable, saying solely that any developments can be introduced.

“Right now, Canadians can proceed to resume their passport by mail or in individual, and people purposes will likely be processed as per our service requirements,” he mentioned.

When he introduced the change final yr, then immigration minister Sean Fraser mentioned it will enhance companies for Canadians.

“The federal authorities goes to proceed to work to enhance our companies and safety for Canadians. This passport replace is among the many efforts that’s going to enhance journey and safety,” he mentioned.

Nationwide Publish
rtumilty@postmedia.com

Our web site is the place for the newest breaking information, unique scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and join our politics publication, First Studying, right here.

Share this text in your social community