OTTAWA — A hike in passport fees has become a cash cow for the federal government.
Recently released figures show the government took in $200 million more than it cost them to produce passports last year.
The cost for a five-year passport increased to $120 from $87 last year, while a new 10-year passport was introduced at a cost of $160.
The government said without the increases, Passport Canada wouldn’t have been able to maintain operations or offer security-enhanced documents.
A spokesperson for the agency says the surplus doesn’t mean fees will go down.
The money will be socked away to cover unforeseen costs in the future.