Passport Fee Remission for 2017 B.C. Fires

Summary#

The Certain Fees in Respect of the Issuance of Passports (2017 British Columbia Forest Fires) Remission Order formally cancels certain passport-related fees for people whose passports were lost, damaged, destroyed or made inaccessible by the 2017 British Columbia wildfires. It covers replacement passport applications made between July 7, 2017 and January 6, 2018 for people who were in, or lived in, areas affected between July 7, 2017 and September 15, 2017. The government estimates the cost of the remission at $1,545.

What it does#

• Remits fees charged under the Passport and Other Travel Document Services Fees Regulations and the Consular Services Fees Regulations for eligible passport replacements tied to the 2017 B.C. fires.
• Covers the replacement of passports that were lost, damaged, destroyed or rendered inaccessible by the fires, where the replacement passport has the same expiry date as the original.
• Covers associated services and fees such as:
  • lost or stolen passport fee $45
  • urgent service $110
  • express service $50
  • pick-up service $20
  • consular services fee $25
• Requires that an application for replacement was submitted between July 7, 2017 and January 6, 2018, and that the applicant declared the loss/damage and showed they were in or resident of an affected area between July 7, 2017 and September 15, 2017.
• Allows refunds if someone already paid an eligible fee and is later identified as having a legitimate claim.
• The order was made following a government announcement in 2017 and formalizes that remission; the file was registered in mid‑May 2021.

Who's affected#

• People (Canadians) whose passports were lost, damaged, destroyed or rendered inaccessible because of the 2017 British Columbia forest fires.
• Specifically, those who were in or had their residence in fire-affected areas between July 7, 2017 and September 15, 2017, and who applied for a replacement between July 7, 2017 and January 6, 2018.
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada processed the replacement passports and the related fee remissions; the Minister of Foreign Affairs is responsible for consular fees that are included in the remission.
• It does not appear that any fees for replacing other travel or identity documents (for example, certificates of identity, refugee travel documents, permanent resident cards, or citizenship certificates) were actually requested for remission, so those were not used.

Why it matters#

• It removes out-of-pocket costs for people who already faced losses from the 2017 fires, so replacing a damaged or lost passport did not add extra financial burden for eligible applicants.
• The order clears any legal debt for those fees and allows refunds if someone paid before the remission was formalized.
• The total estimated cost to the government is small ($1,545), but for the individuals affected the relief could have helped with recovery expenses after the disaster.