Backgrounder

Passport Canada’s Public Consultations Findings Report

In order to continue improving the Canadian passport, the Government of Canada will move to the next generation of travel documents by adopting the electronic passport, or ePassport. Implementing the ePassport will allow Canada to keep pace with international norms in the field of travel document security. This new passport will be more resistant to tampering and will make illicit travel, such as travelling under a false identity, much more difficult. At the same time, Passport Canada will start offering Canadian adults the choice of a 10-year validity period as well as the current 5-year validity period.

The passport application process will not change with the adoption of the ePassport. However, implementing this improved passport means that Passport Canada will have to make some changes to its services and associated fees. These changes will take effect when the ePassport is rolled out, starting in 2012.

Before making these changes, Passport Canada consulted Canadians in accordance with the process set out by the User Fees Act. Under this law, federal departments wishing to modify their services and associated fees must consult clients first. The purpose of the User Fees Act is to ensure that Canadians’ views are taken into account before any changes are made. It also enables parliamentarians to review the service and fee proposals when they are tabled in Parliament by the minister responsible for the file.

The User Fees Act process is described below:

Passport Canada sought input from clients and stakeholders through three consultations vehicles:

  • three round table sessions held in May 2010 with organizations representing a wide range of stakeholder interests;
  • an online questionnaire on passport services, which was active from April 6 to May 7, 2010, and garnered more than 7000 responses; and
  • a letter campaign inviting non-government stakeholders to provide written submissions.

The Public Consultations Findings Report presents the main points raised by participants and stakeholders through the three consultation vehicles mentioned above. It seeks to give a detailed and objective account of what was heard during these public consultations. Passport Canada is using the input from the consultations to design an updated service offering and fee structure to support the adoption of the ePassport. The release of the service and fee proposal is planned for the spring of 2011.

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