Kelowna, British Columbia – Colin Mayes, Member of Parliament for Okanagan-Shuswap, Ron Cannan, Member of Parliament for Kelowna – Lake Country and the Honourable Stockwell Day, Member of Parliament for Okanagan – Coquihalla and Minister of Public Safety, today announced on behalf of the Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of Foreign Affairs, that Passport Canada will open its next passport office in the City of Kelowna.

“Our government delivers on its promises. Passport demand in the Okanagan Valley can now sustain the operation of a passport office, and Passport Canada is looking at opening one in Kelowna in the next 24 months,” said Minister Bernier.

“This is great news for all residents of the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. This new office has been wanted and needed for many years and I am proud to deliver the goods for the residents of Okanagan-Shuswap and the surrounding area,”said Colin Mayes, Member of Parliament for Okanagan-Shuswap.

"Over the last few years, a lot of us have worked hard to convince Passport Canada to open an Okanagan regional office. Finally, I can tell my constituents they don't have to drive to the coast anymore for passports” added the Honourable Stockwell Day, Member of Parliament for Okanagan – Coquihalla and Minister of Public Safety.

Passport Canada is funded through the revenues generated by its fees. The expansion of its service network is based on the financial sustainability of such initiatives.

The number of passport applicants in the Okanagan Valley has increased by 10 percent over the past year to over 48,000. As a rapidly growing community with no Passport Canada office close by, Kelowna meets all the requirements to have a satellite passport office.

Satellite passport offices work in conjunction with larger passport offices to offer the full range of passport services, except the next-day service, as satellite offices have no local printing capacity.

Over the past year, Passport Canada has undertaken a series of initiatives to modernize its services and simplify the passport application process. In British Columbia, Passport Canada expanded the office in Richmond, and is currently expanding the office in Victoria. Furthermore, 67 new Service Canada receiving agents were opened across the country to provide Canadians with greater access to passport services. There are now 191 passport points of service across Canada.

Canadians are reminded that, since January 31, 2008, a new US law requires Canadians entering the United States by land and marine ports of entry to present:

• a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's licence AND a birth certificate or a citizenship card; OR
• for persons aged 18 and under, a birth certificate only; OR
• a valid Canadian passport.