This task force was in response to what he deemed to be “unacceptable” backlogs in these services.
At the time, IRCC had a backlog of 2.4 million people waiting for their applications to be processed.
In an email response to CIC News, a representative from the Office of the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, has confirmed that since June the task force, made of a large group of federal ministers, has met weekly to identify service gaps and areas for improvement.
To give applicants a realistic idea of how long it will take for their application to be processed, the updated IRCC processing time tool shows how long it will take for applications to be processed in each IRCC line of business. IRCC continues to lag most of its service standards.
However, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser told CIC News in June 2022 that with more staff and more investment in technology and digitization, he is optimistic that most service standards will be achievable by the end of 2022.
“My sense is by the end of this calendar year, new applications coming in will have the kind of certainty that we’ll be able to meet our service standard and people will be dealing with 60 days or 6 months or 12 months, not an undetermined period of time.”
New passport pick-up offices opening
Service Canada is currently facing an unprecedented swell in passport applications as pandemic-related travel restrictions have eased. Canadians have been forced to wait in hours-long lines and processing times have been uncertain. As a result, the task force has introduced several new measures that are currently in effect, or will be soon.
One of these measures is the introduction of four new passport pick up offices. The government recently announced that new passport pickup locations will be opening in Trois-Rivières, Quebec; Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario; Charlottetown, PEI.; and Red Deer, Alberta.
According to the spokesperson, the task force recommends opening approximately 20 new application and pick-up locations in total. Minister Karina Gould says these locations will process passports in nine or ten business days. Each new passport pick-up will be within 50 kilometers of most Canadians, which may alleviate some of the long lines in other locations and many will have extended service hours.
The government also invested $85 million in the 2021 Fiscal and Economic Update to help minimize the backlog of applications and long wait times. Much of this budget has gone towards hiring an additional 500 new passport officers as well as 319 Citizen Services Officers. Additionally, the government is retraining existing staff from other federal agencies to process passports.
Other measures
Canadians who are renewing a passport may be eligible to take advantage of a simplified renewal process in which those with passports that have been expired or less than 15 years, or have had their passports lost, stolen or damaged, may only have to submit two photos, two references, the application form, and fees, rather than mailing in proof of citizenship or finding a guarantor.
In the long term, the task force will be exploring options that will allow people to submit applications online as well as enable over 300 Service Canada centers to process passport applications. However, there is no timeline given for these initiatives to take effect.
DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Red Wings made another investment this week in a young standout, signing Moritz Seider to a seven-year contract worth nearly $60 million.
The Red Wings announced the move with the 23-year-old German defenseman on Thursday, three days after keeping 22-year-old forward Lucas Raymond with a $64.6 million, eight-year deal.
Detroit drafted Seider with the No. 6 pick overall eight years ago and he has proven to be a great pick. He has 134 career points, the most by a defenseman drafted in 2019.
He was the NHL’s only player to have at least 200 hits and block 200-plus shots last season, when he scored a career-high nine goals and had 42 points for the second straight year.
Seider won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie in 2022 after he had a career-high 50 points.
Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is banking on Seider, whose contract will count $8.55 million annually against the cap, and Raymond to turn a rebuilding team into a winner.
Detroit has failed to make the playoffs in eight straight seasons, the longest postseason drought in franchise history.
The Red Wings, who won four Stanley Cups from 1997 to 2008, have been reeling since their run of 25 straight postseasons ended in 2016.
Detroit was 41-32-9 last season and finished with a winning record for the first time since its last playoff appearance.
Yzerman re-signed Patrick Kane last summer and signed some free agents, including Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year contract worth $9.5 million after he helped the Florida Panthers hoist the Cup.
VANCOUVER – Canadian pop icon Nelly Furtado has been named one of three headliners for the opening ceremony of the upcoming Invictus Games.
Furtado, from Victoria, will share the stage with alt-pop star Roxane Bruneau of Delson, Que., and American singer-songwriter Noah Kahan.
They’ll be part of the show that opens the multi-sport event in Vancouver and Whistler, B.C., in February.
The Invictus Games sees wounded, injured, and sick military service members and Veterans compete in 11 disciplines.
The Vancouver Whistler 2025 Games will be the first of seven editions to feature winter adaptive sports, including alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, skeleton and wheelchair curling.
British Columbia’s Lower Mainland will host the Invictus Games from Feb. 8-16.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
