Latest news with #ServiceCanada
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
Here's what's open and closed on Canada Day
Canadian flags are seen flying behind the National Archives building in Ottawa Friday, Feb 14, 2025 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld Canada Day falls on Tuesday, July 1 and as Canadians prepare for backyard barbecues, fireworks and community events, it's important to know which services and businesses are operating and which aren't. Here's what's open and closed during the federal statutory holiday. Federal and provincial government offices Federal and provincial government offices will be close for the day. That includes all Service Canada locations, passport offices and provincial ministries across the country. Canadians looking to access any public services or support programs will need to wait until after the holiday. Canada Post Canada Post will also be observing the holiday, meaning there will be no mail delivery and post offices across the country will be closed for the day Retailers and malls For shoppers, retail and mall operations vary by region. While major shopping centres like the GTA's Eaton Centre, Square One, Vaughan Mills, and Pacific Mall are expected to remain open with holiday hours, others such as Yorkdale, Sherway Gardens and Scarborough Town Centre will be closed. In Winnipeg, the Grant Park Shopping Centre and St. Vital Centre will be closed while CF Polo Park, Garden City Shopping Centre among others will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. In Ottawa, certain retailers will be open including the Rideau Centre and Tanger Outlets. Bayshore, Billings Bridge, Carlingwood among others will remain closed. In Montreal, places like Ikea, Winners, Home Sense, Canadian Tire and shopping malls are closed. Always check store hours in advance as they may differ by location or city regulations. Public transit Public transit services such as the TTC, GO Transit and other regional systems will run on holiday schedules, typically offering fewer or reduced service routes. In Winnipeg, local transit system will run on an extended Sunday schedule with additional blue line trips. For Ottawa's transit system, OC Transpo, it will offer free transit on the O-Train, buses and Para Transpo all day. Riders are encouraged to plan ahead and consult their local transit authority's website before heading out. Movie theatres When it comes to entertainment, both Cineplex and Landmark movie theatres will remain open, offering a full slate of screenings for those looking to beat the heat indoors. Schools As for schools, public and private institutions will be closed for the statutory holiday. While it's summer break in most provinces, school offices will also observe the holiday. Banks Banks across the country, including branches of TD, RBC, CIBC and others will be closed on July 1. Online banking services will remain accessible, but in-person banking will resume the following day. Grocery stores Grocery stores will operate on a location-specific basis. Some smaller grocers and chains like Rabba Fine Foods, T&T Supermarket, Whole Foods and Farm Boy may remain open. Most major chains like Loblaws, Metro and No Frills, will be closed or open with limited hours. City-run services City-run services are a mixed bag. Libraries will be closed across most municipalities, but outdoor public amenities such as splash pads, pools, parks and trails are expected to remain open, often operating on modified or holiday hours. Please check your municipality's website to confirm their hours. Whether you're staying local or heading out of town, confirm businesses hours or transit schedules before heading out. You can find additional details on Canada Post and your municipality's official website.
CTV News
11 hours ago
- Business
- CTV News
Are job cuts impacting passport wait times?
The new Canadian passport is unveiled at an event at the Ottawa International Airport in Ottawa on Wednesday, May 10, 2023. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press) After laying off more than 800 Service Canada employees last month, Ottawa says the number of passport applications has stabilized, according to Noovo Info. Nearly 400 people were affected by these cuts in Quebec. Friday was their last day on the job. According to Alisha Kang, president of the Union of National Employees, the wave of layoffs will have a significant impact on Canadians applying for passports. 'It's difficult for members of the public to know how long it will take. You'll walk into a passport office and there will be a queue,' she says. 'These are major cuts in terms of services to Canadians.' However, Service Canada is seeing a downward trend in passport applications. During the pandemic, in 2020, only 3,000 passport applications were made in May. That number jumped to nearly 470,000 applications for the same month in 2024. This year, 100,000 fewer people tried to renew their travel documents at the same time. Éric Boissonneault, vice-president of the Quebec Travel Agents Association, explains the decline in part by the fact most Canadians apply for a 10-year passport. 'So we're in a transitional period where people don't need to renew their passports every five years as they did before,' he says. He also mentions that travel agencies have seen a slight decline in sales, which could also explain the drop in passport applications at Service Canada. Other factors could include inflation and the boycott of the United States due to the trade war, which is disrupting Canadians' travel habits. Currently, the wait time to obtain a passport has been reduced by 55 per cent compared to 2024, but it remains to be seen whether the layoff of 800 employees will have an impact on future wait times. With files from Noovo Info's Lila Mouch and Laurie Gervais
CTV News
13 hours ago
- General
- CTV News
Vancouver woman mistakenly declared dead after filing late husband's tax return
June Miller and her late husband Giorgio pose for a selfie. After submitting his final tax return, she found the CRA had declared her dead as well. When June Miller's husband Giorgio died last September after 35 years of marriage, her world came crashing down. 'We were best friends, we did everything together,' said Miller. When she went to file Giorgio's final tax return, she was told it would not be accepted online, and needed to be mailed. 'So I put his and mine in the same envelope and shipped them off,' said Miller. She was flabbergasted when she got her notice of assessment back from the Canada Revenue Agency. It was addressed to 'the estate of the late June Miller.' 'I went to go online to look at my account, but it was locked. So I called them and they said, 'You're deceased.' I said, 'You're talking to me! Deceased, what are you saying? You have to change that,'' said Miller. 'And they said, 'Well, there's a process. You have to prove that you're alive.'' Miller went to Service Canada in person and submitted all of her identifying documents, along with a letter from the funeral home that handled her husband's service that said Giorgio had died, not June. She also presented a letter from her doctor saying she is very much alive. But so far, it hasn't been enough to bring her back from the dead in the CRA's eyes. 'I said, 'I really want you to help me because I don't want to be dead.' My goal is to be 107, and they took that away a month ago,' said Miller. The 65-year-old widow has just retired, but she's been told she's unlikely to get Canada Pension Plan payments while she's declared dead. Needing income, she'd like to go back to work, but because her social insurance number has been deactivated, she needs to apply for a new one. 'There was a point where I laughed,' Miller said, adding her late husband would find some humour in this situation too. 'Giorgio is up there and he's laughing, going, 'Oh June, look at this mess you got yourself into.' And then I was annoyed and angry, because I'm talking and I'm repeating and I'm talking and I'm repeating, and nobody's getting it at Canada Revenue Agency.' In an email, the CRA said it can't discuss Miller's case due to privacy, but outlined some possible reasons for a person to mistakenly be declared dead. 'It could be human error, a miscommunication from another government department, or, most often, a mistake made when a return is filed on behalf of a deceased person with an incorrect SIN number,' the email said. The CRA added when it does happen, the agency tries to address it immediately. 'We understand that this can be both alarming and have financial implications. Our goal is to minimize any occurrence, and if it occurs, deal with it quickly. Generally, the issue can be quickly resolved once we are advised of the error,' the email said. Miller says she's spoken to many officials both in person and on the phone and no one seems to be able to help her. She's been told she has to wait while a board looks into her status, adding: 'They're going to review it, and deem me alive or dead.'
Time of India
20-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Canada's new $200/month disability benefit goes live; Apply by June 30 to get paid in July
Canada's new disability benefit program begins accepting applications on June 20, 2025, offering up to $2,400 annually to eligible Canadians with disabilities who have the Disability Tax Credit. Backed by significant federal funding, the program aims to enhance financial security, with first payments scheduled for July 2025 for approved early applicants. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Canada's new disability benefit program is now accepting applications, with the first payments scheduled for July 2025. Canadians aged 18 to 64 who have already qualified for the Disability Tax Credit ( DTC ) and who filed their 2024 tax return, along with any spouse or partner, can open on Friday, June 20, 2025. Those submitted and approved by June 30 will receive their first payments in approved later will still receive their full entitlements, including back payments to June, but no program offers up to $200 per month, or $2,400 per year, with annual inflation adjustments. This amount will be reduced for higher-income and territories (except Alberta) have committed not to claw back existing disability of the federal Disability Inclusion Action Plan , the benefit aims to boost financial security for over 600,000 low-income Canadians with disabilities. It is backed by $6.1 billion over six years, with ongoing $1.4 billion annually, starting in individuals approved for the DTC will receive a letter in June with a unique code and application instructions. However, even without a letter, applicants can still apply by providing their Social Insurance Number and 2024 net incomeApplications are available online, by phone, or in person at Service Canada locations. An estimate tool is also available to help applicants calculate their expected monthly federal government is partnering with community organizations to assist applicants in navigating both the DTC and the Disability Benefit. Direct deposit is encouraged for faster Minister Patty Hajdu acknowledged that the benefit was not designed to fully sustain recipients. She said it provides increased financial autonomy and can be used flexibly alongside other income.
Economic Times
20-06-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Canada's new $200/month disability benefit goes live; Apply by June 30 to get paid in July
Canada's new disability benefit program begins accepting applications on June 20, 2025, offering up to $2,400 annually to eligible Canadians with disabilities who have the Disability Tax Credit. Backed by significant federal funding, the program aims to enhance financial security, with first payments scheduled for July 2025 for approved early applicants. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Canada's new disability benefit program is now accepting applications, with the first payments scheduled for July 2025. Canadians aged 18 to 64 who have already qualified for the Disability Tax Credit ( DTC ) and who filed their 2024 tax return, along with any spouse or partner, can open on Friday, June 20, 2025. Those submitted and approved by June 30 will receive their first payments in approved later will still receive their full entitlements, including back payments to June, but no program offers up to $200 per month, or $2,400 per year, with annual inflation adjustments. This amount will be reduced for higher-income and territories (except Alberta) have committed not to claw back existing disability of the federal Disability Inclusion Action Plan , the benefit aims to boost financial security for over 600,000 low-income Canadians with disabilities. It is backed by $6.1 billion over six years, with ongoing $1.4 billion annually, starting in individuals approved for the DTC will receive a letter in June with a unique code and application instructions. However, even without a letter, applicants can still apply by providing their Social Insurance Number and 2024 net incomeApplications are available online, by phone, or in person at Service Canada locations. An estimate tool is also available to help applicants calculate their expected monthly federal government is partnering with community organizations to assist applicants in navigating both the DTC and the Disability Benefit. Direct deposit is encouraged for faster Minister Patty Hajdu acknowledged that the benefit was not designed to fully sustain recipients. She said it provides increased financial autonomy and can be used flexibly alongside other income.
