Passport office unable to maintain operations without fee hikes, says agency
OTTAWA - The cost of getting a Canadian passport is going up significantly in the new year.
Without the fee increases, Passport Canada says it would not be able to maintain current operations, let alone offer security-enhanced travel documents.
New regulations posted this week confirm the cost of a five-year passport will increase to $120 from $87.
And starting in July 2013, a 10-year passport will also be offered at a cost of $160.
By March 2014, Passport Canada will also charge an additional $45 to replace a passport that's lost or stolen, something that is currently free.
The agency says it's currently losing nearly $5 every time it issues a passport, and has been financing its deficit by using previously accumulated surpluses that will run out next year.
