Passport fees a cash cow for government

Passport fees a cash cow for government

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.