Federal government is suspending its passport services until further notice

The federal government is suspending its passport services until further notice.

Canadians will only be able to obtain or renew passports if they need to travel for urgent reasons.

This includes serious illness, the death of friend or family member, humanitarian work or would otherwise lose a job or business.

Service Canada says anyone who does not meet the criteria for urgent travel, or is experiencing symptoms such as a fever, coughing, having trouble breathing, will have to wait.

So would anyone who is in self-isolation. Social Development Minister Ahmed Hussen says that with travel restrictions in place, Service Canada needs to focus on assisting Canadians with issues that are currently the most critical.