Passport delays: Canadians confused and frustrated by massive wait times, long lines for service

The confusion and frustration continue at Canada's passport offices, with people spending days in long line-ups and sleeping in their cars, desperately trying to get emergency passports after delays in getting their travel documents from the government.

Blankets, camping, chairs and pajamas were all on display on the parking lot median outside the Surrey Service Canada Centre for passport renewal on Wednesday, in a line-up that barely moved, while Global News observed only two of the nine service desks claimed to be in operation.

“We need the government to come and intervene in this,” said Iwalola Badewa, who waited in line for three days and whose flight to Nigeria was supposed to be on Wednesday afternoon. “I’m proud to be a Canadian, but I’ve never had to go through this.”

Service Canada says the backlog is due to an “unprecedented volume of applications” whose processing has been delayed by in-person capacity limits set during the pandemic, but many aren't buying the excuse.

John Hua shares some stories.

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