People from across Canada flock to Fredericton passport office as their trips near
With delays for passport applications across the country, Service Canada in Fredericton saw long lines of over 100 people Monday morning.
People from Montreal and even further lined up in the sun for their chance at a quick passport process.
"I flew from Iqaluit, Nunavut, because my son's passport hasn't arrived yet from two months ago or three, almost three,” said Richard Caguioa.
He is headed to Florida with his family next week. He flew to Ottawa and drove from there to Fredericton in an effort to renew his youngest son’s passport so they can all go together.
Danford Diaz came from Montreal, he's planning to go to New York on Wednesday.
"I applied this morning and I have to come back tomorrow at 3 p.m. to get it,” said Diaz.
With the cost of gas, hotels and a rushed passport, vacation costs are adding up.
“It’s expensive, real expensive, I have to pay for the passport to have it quick,” Diaz said.
Even locally in the province, it's been a hassle.
Monday was Charlene Perry's third trip to Fredericton from Saint John, and she was told it could take two more before her son can travel to a Backstreet Boys concert with her next month.
"It's getting down there, and with the price of gas, it's not fun to be making four trips to Fredericton,” Perry said.
The minister responsible for passport services says she is directing Service Canada where passport-processing delays are most severe. More passport officers are coming, Karina Gould said Monday.
"In January, 600 people had been hired,” said Gould, minister of families, children and social development.
“We're in the process of hiring 600 more. It takes about 15 weeks to train a passport officer. The first class of trained processing officers will be in processing centers on Monday," Gould said.
The Service Canada office in Fredericton stopped giving out numbers for new clients just after noon today with so many already in line waiting.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.