PAL Wait Time

After 5 months waiting to the day, I lost patience and went to my (thankfully Conservitive) MP. She took my info, I filled out some information release forms. Bam, 2 days later status changed to issued.
I got a call from her the next day saying that they had chased it down and gotten someone to look at it. Since it was an update from PAL to RPAL, there weren't any concerns and it was approved.
The delay, I was told, was due to a backlog in applications.... I don't fully believe that.
This was close to a month ago. Still no card. I called Friday as it had been over 2 weeks.... the call centre agent just told me there was a backlog. Keep waiting...

Personally, I have lost total faith in the Canadian government to be honest and provide any type of reliable service to the Canadian people.
It saddens me that such an agency would care so little about the jobs they are staffed to perform and frightens me that other arms of the government could be worse.

Good luck to those currently wading through the mire, patience and politeness will get you so far, but when those run out, seek your MP.
 
Ringwraith said:
Get in touch with your local MP & have them look into it. However, even if your lic was "issued" today, you'll be waiting 4-6 weeks for it to be printed & mailed out due to their current printer issues.
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Yeah that's what I was worried about. Thanks for the advice.
 
Ringwraith said:
Get in touch with your local MP & have them look into it. However, even if your lic was "issued" today, you'll be waiting 4-6 weeks for it to be printed & mailed out due to their current printer issues.
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I have just emailed my MP, hopefully this puts the wheels in motion and gets my application processed a bit faster.

The message reads as follows:

Hello Bill;

I am reaching out to you because I have recently gone through the process of submitting a first-time PAL application to the RCMP in Miramichi, and things are going remarkably slow. My application was received by the RCMP on February 26th, and has been in the primary stage of processing since. After about two weeks of "processing" I was told the application had been forwarded to the CFO in Orillia, ON. Unfortunately, upon contacting the CFO's office they informed me that the application had never, in fact, been sent to them, and remained on a desk in Miramichi.

I understand these things do take time, but I am now well over the mandated waiting period for the application process, and therefore will not be able to participate in the spring hunting seasons which are shortly drawing to a close. I worry that because of the communication error, my application has been forgotten and that I will perhaps be waiting far longer – possibly another 4-6 weeks as per the RCMP service agent – than necessary to see my PAL come in the mail.

I have no criminal record and no history of poor mental health. I must stress that I do understand completely that the process takes time and I am resign to the fact that I may have to wait until the fall to acquire a firearm for hunting game, but I mainly worry that my application will take far longer than it needs to because it has not been kept track of.

I was told by the CFO that the person assigned directly to my case is Colleen MacDonald but I have no way of contacting her, nor do the service agents responding to the calls for the RCMP. Perhaps you have more information than I do.

At any rate, I hope you are having a great start to your week. I hope this matter isn't too much of a nuisance for you.

All the best, and thank you for your time.

Warm regards,
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AB Timeline:

Jan 5 - CFSC Taken
Jan 6 - Mailed out
Jan 14 - Received Miramachi
Feb 7 - CC Charged, Appears online
Mar 26 - License issued
May 7 - Card arrived

So about 6 weeks is their printing timeline at the moment.
 
I’m in Quebec. I made a demand to upgrade from a PAL to an RPAL. CFC got it on March 12. 56 days from now. They made no call to my respondents, no call to my wife. Nothing.

I gave a call to the CFC last week. They said my file is on the Quebec CFO for the next steps. Again, no call to my respondents or my wife.

According to what I read here, I should prepare myself for a loooonnnnggggg wait. ��
 
When my application was with QC CFO i called back then and played the stupid guy asking them if there is any missing papers or if i can do something on my side and the guy actually told me that your application is ready and he asked me the usual questions on the spot, called my second reference right away and approved my RPAL the same day.
If you want call the RCMP number and tell them to transfer you to the CFO in Québec!
Qc_BearHunter said:
I’m in Quebec. I made a demand to upgrade from a PAL to an RPAL. CFC got it on March 12. 56 days from now. They made no call to my respondents, no call to my wife. Nothing.

I gave a call to the CFC last week. They said my file is on the Quebec CFO for the next steps. Again, no call to my respondents or my wife.

According to what I read here, I should prepare myself for a loooonnnnggggg wait. ��
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xeronine said:
Given that we only pay $60 or $80 for our license, they probably don’t make much if anything, so their budget probably doesn’t include a replacement printer. That’s the only reason I can think why something hasn’t been done by now.
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I understand what you're saying, my only issue is that this isn't supposed to be a profitable process for the government... if it is, wonderful - if it's not, while it's the cost of doing business and the implementation of one of the worlds strictest firearm programs. If the printer is down, it needs to be fixed.

I'm at 4 weeks today since my application was "approved" and "mailed out". Hoping I don't have to wait a full 2 more weeks before it arrives. I have registered with my local gun club, which has a mandatory classroom day to get the land of the land, rules and such. They say I need my PAL to do so... I registered the day my licence was issued assuming there couldn't be a problem. If this delays my ability to join the club, it will cause me at least another month of down time due to their "new membership days"... fingers are crossed.
 
quikcolin said:
I understand what you're saying, my only issue is that this isn't supposed to be a profitable process for the government... if it is, wonderful - if it's not, while it's the cost of doing business and the implementation of one of the worlds strictest firearm programs. If the printer is down, it needs to be fixed.

I'm at 4 weeks today since my application was "approved" and "mailed out". Hoping I don't have to wait a full 2 more weeks before it arrives. I have registered with my local gun club, which has a mandatory classroom day to get the land of the land, rules and such. They say I need my PAL to do so... I registered the day my licence was issued assuming there couldn't be a problem. If this delays my ability to join the club, it will cause me at least another month of down time due to their "new membership days"... fingers are crossed.
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Very true, I guess it isn’t supposed to be profitable, but that might make them even less likely to waste even more money. Us poor law abiding gun owners can just wait as the ever increasing backlog continues to grow. What gets me is once I get my PAL and purchase a restricted I have to wait even longer for them to issue me yet another license.

Ahhh I’m in the same boat. I’m set to go to Silverdale for their ATT course and luckily I can do it without the actual card, but I have to wait to do the probationary shoots. At least their 2019 membership is full anyway and can’t join until 2020 so I’m not losing out on anything there.
 
If anyone is interested... I spoke to RCMP today. They are currently printing cards issued on April 1st. Mine is April 3rd...looks like another weekend missed for Turkey season. So far I am at 112 days.
 
FM. said:
If anyone is interested... I spoke to RCMP today. They are currently printing cards issued on April 1st. Mine is April 3rd...looks like another weekend missed for Turkey season. So far I am at 112 days.
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So things are improving! I'm a glass half full kinda guy.
 
FM. said:
If anyone is interested... I spoke to RCMP today. They are currently printing cards issued on April 1st. Mine is April 3rd...looks like another weekend missed for Turkey season. So far I am at 112 days.
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nice, mine was issued April 2nd. Snail mail is 4 days anywhere in Canada so I'm guessing maybe 3 weeks for the RCMP lol
 
So after nearly 7 months since Miramichi received my PAL application (BC), and getting nowhere on the phone with the CFP, I wrote my Liberal MP a very polite email asking for assistance in the matter. This was at 11:30am. By 6pm my application was approved.

Part of me wonders if it was coincidence because that seems way too quick for government. But who knows. I'll give them a call in the morning and find out if it was them, and thank them.
 
accomplishedcodebot said:
So after nearly 7 months since Miramichi received my PAL application (BC), and getting nowhere on the phone with the CFP, I wrote my Liberal MP a very polite email asking for assistance in the matter. This was at 11:30am. By 6pm my application was approved.

Part of me wonders if it was coincidence because that seems way too quick for government. But who knows. I'll give them a call in the morning and find out if it was them, and thank them.
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Stinks you had to wait 7 months but wow that's impressive on the MP's part!

I'm leaning towards them helping you out. When I spoke with the CFO officer she asked me a few questions and my application was approved within 10 minutes after I got off the phone with her, so I'm thinking your MP reached out to them.

Grats! Now if only our MPs could help us jump the queue with the printer issue :D
 
April 5: PAL application recieved by Rcmp
April 29: Rcmp charges my CC
May 9th: No website changes or updates as yet

Ontario applicant, no boxes checked.

Figured I'd come to the experts, is there typically a lag between them charging your card and and putting the status online?

Reading through the posts in here it usually seems to be simultaneous most of the time right?
 
Blitz41 said:
April 5: PAL application recieved by Rcmp
April 29: Rcmp charges my CC
May 9th: No website changes or updates as yet

Ontario applicant, no boxes checked.

Figured I'd come to the experts, is there typically a lag between them charging your card and and putting the status online?

Reading through the posts in here it usually seems to be simultaneous most of the time right?
Click to expand...
. Mandatory 28 day waiting period you should it change soon after if not call in
 
Should say on the website that your ap was received & is being processed. At least that's what most folks see once your cc is charged.

Blitz41 said:
April 5: PAL application recieved by Rcmp
April 29: Rcmp charges my CC
May 9th: No website changes or updates as yet

Ontario applicant, no boxes checked.

Figured I'd come to the experts, is there typically a lag between them charging your card and and putting the status online?

Reading through the posts in here it usually seems to be simultaneous most of the time right?
Click to expand...
 
Blitz41 said:
April 5: PAL application recieved by Rcmp
April 29: Rcmp charges my CC
May 9th: No website changes or updates as yet

Ontario applicant, no boxes checked.

Figured I'd come to the experts, is there typically a lag between them charging your card and and putting the status online?

Reading through the posts in here it usually seems to be simultaneous most of the time right?
Click to expand...

I received my card in the mail 71 days after the date the RCMP website said my application had been "received" and 35 days after the RCMP website said my "application has been processed and your licence has been issued". Ontario, no boxes ticked. Was a PAL holder prior to rPAL application.
 
Make sure you try all combinations possible on their (Check the Status of your Application) Website because right after I got my CC Charged it showed online.

Try to put as your (City of birth) your current City where you live if its different. I saw some user that this fixed the problem
 
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