Fee Waiver for 2023 Wildfire Document Replacements

Summary#

The Certain Fees in Respect of the Issuance of Identity and Travel Documents (2023 Canada Wildfires) Remission Order is an order registered on December 17, 2025 that cancels certain replacement fees for identity and travel documents for people affected by the 2023 wildfires. It applies when specific conditions are met, including being in an affected area during the wildfire period and reporting the loss or damage when applying to replace the document.

What it does#

• Remits (waives) fees for replacing these documents when the conditions are met:
  • passports and other travel documents covered by the Passport and Other Travel Document Services Fees Regulations,
  • certificates of citizenship under the Citizenship Regulations,
  • permanent resident cards under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations,
  • certificates of identity, and
  • refugee travel documents under the relevant regulations and the Consular Services Fees Regulations.
• Sets the conditions a person must meet to get the fee remission:
  • The person was in, or lived in, an area affected by wildfire in one of these provinces during the listed period:
    • Alberta — from May 3, 2023 to November 30, 2023;
    • British Columbia — from May 11, 2023 to November 30, 2023;
    • Ontario — from May 26, 2023 to November 30, 2023;
    • Nova Scotia — from May 28, 2023 to November 30, 2023;
    • New Brunswick — from May 29, 2023 to November 30, 2023;
    • Quebec — from June 1, 2023 to November 30, 2023.
  • The document was lost, damaged, destroyed or made inaccessible because of the wildfire while it was still valid.
  • During the applicable wildfire period above, the person (or someone acting for them) applied to replace the document.
  • The replacement application included a declaration that the loss/damage was due to the wildfire and either:
    • proof that the person lived in the affected area when the loss/damage happened, or
    • a declaration that the person was in that area at that time.
  • The fees have not already been remitted under the existing passport-fees rule noted in the regulations.

Who's affected#

• People who lived in or were present in wildfire-affected areas of Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, or Quebec during the provincial date ranges above.
• Those whose passports, citizenship documents, permanent resident cards, certificates of identity, or refugee travel documents were lost, damaged, destroyed, or made inaccessible because of those wildfires.
• People who applied (or had someone apply for them) to replace those documents during the applicable wildfire period and submitted the required declaration and proof.
• It is unclear from the order whether any other groups are covered beyond these specific documents and conditions.

Why it matters#

• Replacing identity and travel documents can be expensive and slow. This order removes that fee for eligible wildfire victims, which can help people rebuild their lives faster.
• It makes it easier to travel, access services, claim benefits, or prove identity after losing documents in a disaster.
• The relief is limited to specific places and dates and requires an application with a declaration and proof. That means not everyone who lost documents in 2023 wildfires will qualify.