April 3, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN —The Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, and the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced today that the Service Canada Centre in Regina will start accepting passport applications as of April 16, 2007, as another step in expanding passport Receiving Agent services across the country.
During a visit to the Service Canada Centre in Regina, Minister Solberg confirmed his commitment to working with other federal departments, provinces and territories to make it easier for citizens to get the programs and services they need and want in communities across Canada. The Minister cited examples of other new services such as the issuing of Social Insurance Numbers and pleasure craft licences, but the focus of his visit was to highlight the imminent addition of passport Receiving Agent services to Regina ’s downtown Service Canada Centre and other locations across Canada.
“Canada’s new Government is working to improve the services we provide Canadians,” said Minister Solberg. “We are pleased to be adding passport Receiving Agent services to our list of available services here in Regina and other locations across Canada. This means more people will be able to apply for passports in person at the same place they come to for other government services.”
The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, could not attend, but supports the approach. “By making the passport application even more accessible to all Canadians, Receiving Agent sites allow us to continue providing citizens with the high level of service they expect – service that is innovative, secure, professional and convenient,” said Minister MacKay.
Service Canada sites will review passport applications to ensure accuracy and completeness, collect the fee along with original identification documents (birth or citizenship certificates) and forward them to Passport Canada for review and processing. Passport Canada will then deliver the passport to the applicant by courier, along with the original identification documents. Final decisions on passport entitlement remain with Passport Canada .
“This is a joint effort” said Minister Solberg. “Working with other departments and agencies to provide Canadians with one-stop service is what Service Canada is all about. Our job is to connect with other government departments so you don’t have to.”
Regina is the third location in Saskatchewan after Yorkton and North Battleford to offer on-site passport Receiving Agent services.
For more information about Service Canada’s role in helping Canadians obtain a passport and the conditions under which citizens can use Receiving Agent services, go to servicecanada.gc.ca, call
1 800 O-Canada or visit a Service Canada Centre that offers Receiving Agent services.
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This news release is available in alternative formats on request. Call 1-800-788-8282 on a touch-tone phone, or through a teletypewriter (TTY).
For more information (media only):
Service Canada
Media Relations Office
819-994-5559
Passport Canada
Media Relations Office
819-934-3837
Public Enquiries:
1 800 O-Canada (1-800-622-6232)
TTY: 1-800-926-9105
servicecanada.gc.ca
BACKGROUNDER
Expansion of Service Canada Passport Receiving Agents
In an effort to improve services to Canadians, Service Canada is collaborating with Passport Canada by taking immediate action to help address the increased demand for passport services.
The partnership between Service Canada and Passport Canada began in April 2004 with the introduction of a pilot project where certain Service Canada Centres provided Receiving Agent (RA) services. The success of this initiative led to the current expansion.
RA’s only accept standard applications. The role of Service Canada Passport RA’s is to review passport applications for accuracy and completeness, collect the fee along with the original identification documents (birth or citizenship certificates) and forward them to Passport Canada for processing. Passport Canada processes applications sent through Service Canada within 45 business days. Only Passport Canada can make decisions on entitlement and issue passports.
If any of the following conditions apply, the applicant must submit the application directly to Passport Canada :
Application is urgent (travel date is less than 20 working days away plus mailing time);
A valid passport submitted with the application has more than a one-year validity;
There is an indication of a lost/stolen/damaged/mutilated/inaccessible passport (submission of a PPT 203 or verbal);
Applicant does not have a guarantor and uses a Statutory Declaration in Lieu of Guarantor (PPT 132);
A child's application where there is no participation of the other parent, no matter what the circumstances (i.e., death, sole custody, etc.);
Requests for a free replacement;
Requests for extension of limited validity passport; and,
Requests to add a married name to a maiden name passport.
Complete list of Service Canada passport application Receiving Agent sites across Canada (TBC)
Service Canada Receiving Agent sites
Status
Alberta
Calgary East
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Calgary North
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Calgary South
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Canmore
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Edmonton North
Opened February 2007
Edmonton South
Opened February 2007
Edmonton-Meadowlark
Opened February 2007
Fort McMurray
Already in operation
Grande Prairie
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Lethbridge
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Medicine Hat
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Red Deer
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
British Columbia
Abbotsford
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Comox Valley
Already in operation
Kamloops
Already in operation
Kelowna
Opened February 2007
Prince George
Opened March 2007
Terrace
Already in operation
Victoria
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Nanaimo
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Manitoba
Brandon
Already in operation
Flin Flon
Already in operation
Morden
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Steinbach
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
The Pas
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Thompson
Already in operation
New Brunswick
Campbellton
Already in operation
Edmundston
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Grand Falls
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Miramichi
Already in operation
Moncton
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Saint John
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
St. Stephen
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Woodstock
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Newfoundland and Labrador
Corner Brook
Already in operation
Gander
Already in operation
Happy Valley
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Labrador City
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Marystown
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
St. Anthony
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Northwest Territories
Fort Simpson
Already in operation
Fort Smith
Already in operation
Hay River
Already in operation
Inuvik
Already in operation
Yellowknife
Already in operation
Nova Scotia
Amherst
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Bedford
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Bridgewater
Already in operation
Glace Bay
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Kentville
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
New Glasgow
Already in operation
Nunavut
Cambridge Bay
Already in operation
Iqualuit
Already in operation
Rankin Inlet
Already in operation
Ontario
Ajax
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Collingwood
Already in operation
Elliot Lake
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Fort Frances
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Kenora
Already in operation
Lawrence Square
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Newmarket
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Oshawa
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Ottawa East
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Ottawa West
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Parry Sound
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Pembroke
Already in operation
Richmond Hill
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Sault Ste. Marie
Already in operation
Timmins
Already in operation
Toronto Centre
Scheduled to open in 2007*
Toronto Lakeside
Scheduled to open in 2007*
Prince Edward Island
Montague
Already in operation
O'Leary
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Souris
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Quebec
Baie-Comeau
Already in operation
Centre-du-Québec
Already in operation
Chibougamau
Already in operation
Chicoutimi
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
East-Centre Montreal
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
La Tuque
Already in operation
Lasalle
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Repentigny
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Richelieu- Yamaska (Saint-Hyacinthe)
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Rive-Sud-de-Québec (Saint-Romuald)
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Sherbrooke
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Thetford Mines
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Trois-Rivières
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Val-d'Or
Already in operation
Verdun
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Saskatchewan
North Battleford
Already in operation
Regina
Scheduled to open in April 2007*
Yorkton
Already in operation
Yukon
Whitehorse
Already in operation
*Exact date to be announced
For more information
Call 1-800-935-5555
TTY: 1-800-926-9105
Clickservicecanada.ca
Visit your local Service Canada Centre (for locations, visit servicecanada.ca)
