Woodstock man waits 12 hours for a passport with five kids
Long lines at the London, Ont. passport office persist despite federal government efforts to ease wait times nationwide.
Near the back of the line, just before the 8:30 a.m. opening, the situation Margaret Everett and her husband faced was typical.
“Our flight leaves in two weeks, and we still don’t have our passports,” the couple said.
Monday represented the third day the couple has waited in the hopes of securing a new passport.
At the front of the line, CTV London found an even more dire story.
Ludwing Perea-Melendez, who lives near Woodstock, Ont., stated he camped out overnight to be first in line.
He needs a passport to see his father in Peru.
“We really need to go to my homeland in South America, because my dad is fading fast. He’s got dementia,” said Perea-Melendez, whose wife and five children also waited with him overnight.
The Perea-Melendez family camped in their minivan outside a mall housing the Service Canada London passport office. (Source: Submitted)With no babysitting options, they all slept in the family’s van.
“Our kids slept there like sardines,” Perea-Melendez said.
He added he and his wife had already spent seven hours waiting a week ago, only to be turned away just steps from the door to the passport office.
Thankfully, Perea-Melendez overnight wait, paid off Monday when he came out around 9:30 a.m.
“It’s an ordeal. But, I am glad that we have it now,” he said.
The family's documents are expected to arrive within 10 days with their trip to Peru booked for July 19.
A line of people wait overnight to be among the first inside the London, Ont. Passport office. (Source: Submitted)Perea-Melendez told CTV News he has empathy for the staff working in the passport office, adding, “They’re doing their best.”
Still, he believes the government has no excuse for the long wait times.
“This reminds me of when I was back in my country and you had to wait in long lines for a piece of bread, some vegetable oil. This is not the Canada I came to live in.”
Late last week, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Karina Gould, who is responsible for passport services, said she is directing Service Canada to do more in major urban centres where delays are most severe.
The plan is to triage and prioritize services, "To those with urgent travel needs within the following 24 to 48 hours," a statement from Gould said.
— With files from CTVNews.ca
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
'I just want to be safe': Ukrainian man in Canada faces limbo amid consular freeze
A recent decision to restrict consular services for fighting-aged Ukrainian men has made a Ukrainian man in Canada feel less certain of his next steps — and worried he could be pulled back to the war.
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Dozens of U.S. deaths reveal risks of injecting sedatives into people restrained by police
The practice of giving sedatives to people detained by police has spread quietly across the U.S. over the last 15 years, built on questionable science and backed by police-aligned experts, an investigation led by The Associated Press has found.