New passport services available in the Sault

10-day passport services available in the Sault Sault Ste. Marie selected as one of four cities where 10-day passport services will now be available moving forward.

As a backlog in processing passport applications continues, the federal government is adding new passport service locations across Canada.

Starting Aug. 17 people can apply for and pick up their passports at Sault Ste. Marie’s Service Canada office on Bay Street.

Karina Gould, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, made an announcement Wednesday that people can now pick up passports in person at four additional locations across Canada, including the Sault.

In addition to the existing passport offices offering pick-up service, Canadians can now both apply and request in-person pick-up of their passport at Service Canada Centres in the Sault, Red Deer, Alta., Trois-Rivieres, Que. and Charlottetown, P.E.I. Unlike the regular Service Canada Centres, these locations now offer 10-day service, which means that individuals can apply for a passport in one of the four locations and the passport will be available after 10 business days, either through in person pick-up or by mail.

Proof of upcoming travel is also required to get service within 45 days at offices with 10-day processing times, including those announced Wednesday.

There is an extra $20 fee to pick passports up in person.

“Service Canada is working tirelessly to identify and implement solutions that not only improve the speedy delivery of passports, but also improve the service experience for Canadians. We will continue to make our services more accessible for all Canadians,” said Gould in a news release.

About 1.1 million applications for renewed and new passports have been filed since April as Canadians have resumed travelling with pandemic restrictions loosened.

More than one-quarter of those hadn't yet been processed as of early this month.

For the week of August 8 to 14, Service Canada has issued 52,569 passports.

The expansion of pick-up sites will allow many Canadians who need to pick up passports to do so closer to their homes.

Service Canada has committed to providing passport services within 50km of the home of Canadians.

In response to demand, Service Canada added five new locations for passport services in late July; though none were in the north.

The agency also ramped up staffing levels, reporting 1,936 employees in its passport workforce in early August, up more than 150 from the month prior.

Gould told CTV News she is working on bringing passport services to additional offices and hopes to make more announcements soon.

For a full listing of services available from at the Sault Ste. Marie Service Canada Centre visit the Government of Canada's website.