Whitehorse now has a passport pickup location, the 1st of its kind in the North

The federal government is now offering 10-day passport pickup in Whitehorse, the first time the service has been offered North of 60. 

The new passport pickup location was implemented to alleviate wait times that have been affecting Canadians in need of new passports, Service Canada said in a news release.

People with proof of travel can apply to pick up their passports at the Whitehorse Service Canada Centre.

Those in need of a passport sooner than the 10-day turnaround will need to visit a passport office that offers express or urgent pickup service, which involves travelling to the south.

The news release said this is the first time the service has been offered north of the 60th parallel.

The service comes as Canadians in need of passports waited sometimes months for their documentation to arrive in the mail. Those in urgent need of passport lined up for hours at Service Canada offices.

The federal government said it’s coping with an unprecedented demand for passports. This comes as travel restrictions have loosened, with the federal government announcing Monday any remaining restrictions including proof of vaccination and masking rules on flights will no longer be enforced as of Oct. 1. 

Passport pickup is still not an option in Iqaluit or Yellowknife.

“Service Canada is continuing its efforts to provide passport services within 50  kilometres of the home of all Canadians,” the news release reads.

The news release also said the federal government has unveiled a triage system which has made the passport system more effective and reduced wait times.

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Canada: Yukon’s medical travel subsidy still nowhere near enough, critics say, CBC News