Note pour la période des questions : MISE À JOUR SUR LES SERVICES DE PASSEPORT

Faire une mise à jour globale sur la prestation des services de passeport aux Canadiens.

With the complete elimination of the backlog in March 2023 and delivering nearly all passports within the 10- and 20-business day targets, Service Canada has stabilized passport services.

Work continues on passport service delivery modernization initiatives, including the installation of new passport printers and implementation of a new passport issuance system as part of the e-Passport Next Generation.

Access to passport services is increasing—ESDC/Service Canada has added 21 Service Canada Centres offering passports within 10 business days.

Passport services was also expanded to 99% of scheduled outreach sites (237 of 238 sites) to help meet the passport needs of rural and remote communities.

Service Canada staff implement operational solutions to manage line ups and wait times including regular communication with clients and providing different service options based on date of travel.

IF PRESSED on 2022-2023 backlog

At its peak, in August 2022, the backlog of applications was at approximately 317,000.

The backlog was fully eliminated in March 2023.

Measures were put in place to make it easier for Canadians to access passport services and improve processing.

ESDC/Service Canada expanded access to service for Canadians to more offices.

ESDC/Service Canada added processing capacity and streamlined operations.

ESDC/Service Canada ensured Canadians with an urgent need were served in time for their travel.

IF PRESSED on upcoming volumes

Actions taken to address the backlog of passport applications were not a temporary fix but will continue to be leveraged as required.

The Government will maintain the required staffing levels to handle volumes and meet service standards.

Efforts deployed to manage the increase in passport applications in 2022 are now focused on maintaining service standards and anticipating growth in applications as the first of the passports with 10-year expiry, issued in 2013, begin to require renewal.

IF PRESSED on increased volumes above forecast

IRCC forecasts are based on historical information.

ESDC/Service Canada will continue to focus on ensuring passport applications are processed within service standards.

National workload management strategies will be deployed and leveraged as needed.

Internal governance is in place to monitor volumes and make adjustments as needed to ensure we meet service standards and the needs of Canadians.

IF PRESSED on service standards

Since October 3, 2022, newly received passport applications have generally been processed within the normal service standard.

During the labour disruption in spring 2023, there were occasional delays in meeting these standards; however, Service Canada recovered quickly.

As of the week starting August 28, 2023, 96% of Canadians who have applied for a passport in 2023-24 received it within service standard:

96% who applied in-person at a specialized passport office received their passports in less than 10 business days.

96% of Canadians who applied by mail or at a Service Canada received their passports within the 20-day service standard.

IF PRESSED on applying for a passport

Canadians who previously applied and need their passport sooner than the posted service standards, can request a transfer by contacting the Passport Call Centre, or by visiting a passport office or a SCC. Travel date is not required to request a transfer.

For urgent passport applications, Canadians must submit their application to a passport office that offers urgent (by the end of the next business day) or express (2 to 9 business days) services.

IF PRESSED on costs

The Passport Program operates on a cost recovery basis.

The cost of administering the Passport Program is funded by the fees collected from applicants.

Passport fees cover costs associated with producing and issuing Passports to Canadians.

IF PRESSED on modernization

ESDC and IRCC launched a new passport that includes enhanced security features. The new book has been in partial circulation since June 2023 and is planned to be in full circulation by the end of March 2024.

Other modernization initiatives include a sustainable and scalable passport intake and issuance platform, a new passport printing solution, and piloting a new channel allowing Canadians to renew their passport online, including the ability to pay their fees, and upload their photograph securely and conveniently.

These initiatives will increase Canadians’ access to passport services; increase the efficiency of the Passport Program; and strengthen the overall integrity and security of the Passport Program.

Le Ministère s’est attaqué aux défis qui se sont présentés après la pandémie, relativement à la prestation de services, en veillant à ce que les Canadiens reçoivent des services gouvernementaux efficaces et de grande qualité.

Le Programme de passeport du Canada a connu un ensemble de difficultés inter-reliées causées par la pandémie. Ces difficultés se sont traduites par des pressions sur les services de passeport de Service Canada. Pour venir à bout de ces difficultés, nous avons déployé des efforts importants et avons pu ainsi éliminer l’arriéré et revenir aux délais de traitement d’avant la pandémie. L’arriéré a été éliminé à la fin de l’exercice financier de 20222023. 99 % des demandes de passeport, quel que soit le mode de réception des demandes, ont été traitées selon les normes de service de 10 et de 20 jours ouvrables. Voici quelques mesures qui ont été mises en place pour être prêts à traiter les volumes anticipés :

Lancement d’un outil de prise de rendez-vous qui dirige les clients vers le bon endroit pour obtenir le service, tout en mettant à jour en permanence le site Web avec des statistiques et des temps d’attente actualisés.

Lancement, en mars 2023, de l’outil de vérification de l’état des demandes de passeport, qui permet aux clients de suivre l’état d’avancement de leur demande.

Élargissement des conditions d’admissibilité au traitement simplifié selon lequel le remplacement d’un passeport expiré (jusqu’à 15 ans) est considéré comme un renouvellement et non comme une nouvelle demande.

Accroissement de l’accès aux services de passeport, ajout de services de passeport selon la norme de 10 jours ouvrables dans 21 Centres Service Canada et lancement de ces services dans d’autres bureaux au cours des prochains mois.

Élargissement de la prestation des services de passeport aux sites de services mobiles réguliers pour répondre aux besoins en matière de passeports des collectivités rurales et éloignées.

Service Canada continue également de travailler avec les responsables du Programme de passeport à Immigration, Réfugiés et Citoyenneté Canada, qui sont à moderniser le système et qui continuent d’améliorer l’automatisation du processus de demande afin d’accroître notre capacité de traitement des demandes de renouvellement simplifié.

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