By Jack Clark

Passports

Northern MP calls for Urgent Passport office

Aug 23, 2022 | 4:03 PM

PRINCE GEORGE- The Skeena- Bulkley Valley MP Taylor Bachrach calls on the federal government to fix the ongoing passport crisis.

“People in northern British Columbia need a better option,” Said Bachrach. “What I’ve called for is I’ve called on the Federal Government to establish a passport office in northern British Columbia so that northern residents don’t have to travel so far for this basic government service.”

While the crisis is improving, a travel expert believes there is still a long road ahead before it is solved.

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“Many who mailed it in their passports weren’t getting it back for 15, 20 business weeks,” said Claire Newell of Travel Best Bets. “At the moment, it’s about a 12 or 13-week turnaround from when you mail it in.”

Those needing an urgent passport office will have to plan another trip.

“If you live in Prince George and need to access urgent processing, you’re going to have to drive all the way down to Vancouver to get that passport in your hands,” said Bachrach.

While passport services are Bachrach’s priority, he is looking for the federal government to recognize rural Canada.

“We’ve seen more and more government services become centralized, and so, unfortunately, residents have to travel further and further to access essential services,” said Bachrach. “What I want to see is I want to see the federal government recognize that rural people are an essential part of our country, an important part of the fabric of our nation.”

CKPG News had the chance to speak to a few customers coming out of Service Canada this morning. The majority told us they were there for passport issues and would support an urgent passport office in northern B.C.