In an email sent to Noovo Info, Service Canada specifies that between November 18 and November 24, 2,649 passports were the subject of a transfer request so that they could be collected at a Service Canada office. “This figure includes not only requests for passports held due to work stoppage [chez Postes Canada]but also transfer requests for other reasons,” we add.
Remember that at the beginning of November, Service Canada temporarily suspended the sending of passport packages “in view of a possible interruption of postal service.” “By holding residential mail several days before a work stoppage, Service Canada has reduced the risk of passports being held in Canada Post distribution centers,” we explain.
What to do if your passport has been detained?
If you’re not in a hurry to receive your passport, just wait until the Canada Post strike is over. Passports held by Service Canada will be mailed once the postal service interruption has ended and regular postal service has resumed.
If you have a trip planned and need your passport more quickly, you can call the Passport Program [1-800-567-6868] to request that your documents be transferred to one of the 60 Service Canada offices offering pickup service.
“There is no established wait time for transfer requests. In fact, the pickup date is set based on the travel date of the customer requesting the transfer or their needs. The transfer can even be done the same day in case of emergency. Proof of travel or need is required to obtain this service,” explains Service Canada.
For people who need to apply for a passport in the coming days – or weeks – please note that during the interruption of postal service at Canada Post, the processing of applications and printing of passports continues.
“Customers can still go to one of the Service Canada offices to apply for a passport in person. Canadians who will be traveling over the next 6 weeks must submit their passport application as soon as possible at a Service Canada service point that offers service within 10 business days to avoid any delays,” says Service Canada.
Those who will be traveling in more than 6 weeks can go to a Service Canada Center that offers the service within 20 business days to submit their request.
“If a customer mailed their passport application just before the Canada Post work stoppage began, Service Canada may not have received the application. In these cases, Service Canada will not be able to process these requests until postal service resumes,” concludes Service Canada.
Canada Post: third week of strike
As of Tuesday morning, negotiations between Canada Post and the union were still suspended.
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) said that the new negotiating framework presented by Canada Post last weekend came close to the union’s position on certain points, but that it remained far from what members could ratify.
A key issue in the negotiations was the desire to extend parcel delivery during the weekend.
See also: Strike at Canada Post: “Christmas parties are here,” says an entrepreneur from Chicoutimi
With information from The Canadian Press.
