'Absolutely insane': A B.C. man describes his 11-month wait for a passport
When Bill Ferguson strolled into a Service Canada office in B.C. to renew his passport last August, he anticipated a quick, stress-free process. Turns out, it’s been anything but.
Ferguson was told that the New Westminster location does not do passports or even help with the application process.
He says he then went to a local post office to fill out the paperwork and send it off.
Ferguson admits his first attempt was unsuccessful due to an error he made. However he quickly re-sent all required documents including his expired passport.
Ferguson claims, that package was lost by Canada Post, forcing him to fill out a lost passport application.
"Another month goes by and they said, Oh no this won't do, since it was an expired passport anyway. It's a moot point, you need to re-apply all over again,” Ferguson said.
After a third attempt, Ferguson says he received confirmation that Service Canada had received the application on Feb. 16.
He says he contacted them again in March and was told he should be able to pick it up in Surrey in a few weeks.
But that never happened.
“In May, I got fed up and went to my MP, they said let us look after it and try and contact them,” Ferguson said.
However, as of Saturday, Ferguson is still a man without a passport.
"I never do anything, I never go anywhere, I never have any fun,"
"I've never been so frustrated in my entire life, I feel like gouging my own eyes out,” Ferguson said.
While Ferguson chose the mail route, thousands of others have braved lengthy lines, even waiting for days at a time just to get inside a passport office.
This week in Surrey, new triage measures were put in place aimed at alleviating the long lines and frustration. Those with trips within 48 hours are brought straight inside.
Ferguson however, says he’s not willing to risk booking a trip without already having a passport.
“It puts a kibosh on a trip to the U.S. or overseas that’s for sure,” Ferguson said
"I don't know what the solution is, It's just absolutely insane."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
WATCH LIVE | Transport minister testifying at committee on airport delays, flight cancellations
Transport Minister Omar Alghabra is testifying before the House of Commons transport committee this afternoon about ongoing airport delays and flight cancellations.

Pfizer booster approved for children aged 5-11 by Health Canada
Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says Health Canada is authorizing a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children between five and 11 years old.
Retailers sitting on 'mountains' of excess inventory in need of liquidation: expert
Consumer behaviour, a looming recession and the reactions of retailers to pandemic-driven supply chain issues are combining to drive a liquidation renaissance, according to one business advisor and retail futurist who spoke with CTVNews.ca.
Trudeau nominates Ontario judge Michelle O'Bonsawin to Supreme Court
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau nominated Ontario judge Michelle O’Bonsawin to the Supreme Court of Canada on Friday. She is the first Indigenous person to be tapped to sit on Canada's top court and the appointment is being celebrated as filling an important role at the highest level of the country's justice system.
Woman travelling to Canada with 5 kilos of heroin arrested in Poland
A 81-year-old Danish woman traveling from Africa to Canada was arrested at Warsaw airport on suspicion of illegal possession of heroin worth over US$515,000, officials in Poland said Friday.
Quebec Cardinal Marc Ouellet denies sex assault allegations, says he is being defamed
A prominent Quebec cardinal is denying sexual assault allegations against him contained in a class-action lawsuit that was formally filed this week in Quebec Superior Court.
Plane fails to descend as pilots reportedly fell asleep during flight
Two pilots are believed to have fallen asleep and missed their landing during a flight from Sudan to Ethiopia on Monday, according to a report by commercial aviation news site Aviation Herald.
Back to school: A look at the COVID-19 rules in place across provinces, territories
As students across Canada gear up to enter what will be their fourth academic year in the pandemic, CTVNews.ca takes a look at what measures will be in place in schools, by province and territory.
Nunavut declares state of emergency over Iqaluit water shortage
Nunavut's acting minister of community and government services says the territory has declared a state of emergency in Iqaluit to ensure the city can begin replenishing its water reservoir without delay.