During the spring and summer of 2022, long lines became routine at Canadian passport offices, and some applicants waited overnight. The government acknowledged an unprecedented surge, while staff moved through lines to check travel dates and prioritise urgent departures.
What distinguishes this queue is that arrival order alone could no longer govern service. Inside the line, the date of travel created a second priority. Delayed passport processing collided with fixed flights, forcing administrators to reorder those already waiting by urgency.