Canada's passport office says it knew a year ago there would be increased demand for travel documents. Management admitted delays in processing applications are now longer than they were before the pandemic.."We are doing everything we can," Social Development Minister Karina Gould said in a statement. "Passport services are not yet back to normal," added Gould. "Passport services continue to receive our full attention as we work to improve.".The passport office, in a June 23 briefing note Passport Productivity And Staffing Measures said it knew last summer it should prepare for higher numbers of applications. "In anticipation of increased volumes Service Canada began implementing a staffing plan last July," it said.."From July 2021 to May 2022 over 960 staff have been hired to support passport mail intake, front line service and direct processing," said the briefing note. Management did not explain why it failed to avert three-month delays for applications by mail and queues for in-person service that were so long the police were twice called to a Montréal passport office.."Processing times are currently longer than before the pandemic," wrote staff. More than a fifth of applicants, 21 percent, must wait three months or more for their papers, by official estimate.."Beginning in July 2013 Canadians were given a choice between a $120 five-year validity passport and a $160 ten-year validity passport," wrote staff. "In 2018 trends analysis demonstrated that 87 percent of adults were choosing the ten-year validity option. As a result the passport program has experienced a significant reduction in passport demand since 2018 from approximately five million to two million passports annually."."Demand is expected to return to four million at the start of the next business cycle in 2023," said the briefing note. "Travel limits imposed during Covid-19 reduced demand for the passport program by more than 80 percent compared to pre-pandemic estimates."."Current forecast assumptions indicate the passport program is likely to experience record volumes as delayed applications from the pandemic coincide with the ten-year passport renewal cycle beginning in 2023," said the note..Evelyne Power, director general of the passport office, made no mention of advance planning in May 30 testimony at the Commons human resources committee. "We of course understand how frustrating this is," said Power.."Because of volume we are prioritizing clients with travel plans," said Power. "The in-person services that are provided have up to now been limited. Right now they're limited to anyone with travel plans identified within 45 business days."
