P.E.I. to get expedited passport service within weeks

The federal minister responsible for Service Canada, Karina Gould, says Islanders will soon be able to access an expedited passport application process, and plans are in the works to open a full-service passport office on P.E.I.

"It could be a couple of years still because we are going through and kind of doing a review of all passport services across the country," she said. 

In the meantime, she said Islanders will be able to access expedited passport service within a matter of weeks.

"What we're going to be moving towards in the next couple of weeks, definitely by the end of the summer, is that Islanders will be able to not only make the application but actually go pick up their passport within 10 business days at the Service Canada centre in Charlottetown," she said.

Gould initially told CBC in July that an announcement about opening a passport office on the Island was forthcoming. 

Last week, Charlottetown MP Sean Casey clarified that while passport services on the Island would be expanded, the office would fall short of the full-service options planned for Halifax and Fredericton.