'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
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
DEVELOPING Hamas accepts Gaza ceasefire proposal from Egypt and Qatar
Hamas said it has accepted a ceasefire deal proposed by Egypt and Qatar, which seeks to halt the seven-month war with Israel in Gaza, prompting Israel to say it would send a delegation to negotiate – though it warned the proposal remained far from the 'necessary requirements.'
An American soldier was arrested in Russia and accused of stealing, U.S. officials say
An American soldier has been arrested in Russia and accused of stealing, according to U.S. officials. The soldier was stationed in South Korea and was in the process of returning home to the United States, but travelled to Russia.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Competition Bureau launches inquiry into Lululemon over 'greenwashing' allegations
Canada's Competition Bureau has launched an inquiry into Vancouver-based Lululemon following a complaint from members of an environmental group.
NDP calls out Conservatives for effort to quash pharmacare legislation
The federal New Democrats are calling out Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his party for trying to block the bill that could pave the way for millions of Canadians to access birth control and diabetes coverage.
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc tabled legislation in the House of Commons on Monday proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada. Bill C-70 proposes to enact a new 'Foreign Influence Transparency and Accountability Act.'