N.S. man shocked after Canada Post finally finds passport it delivered to wrong address

Fibin Joseph was starting the late shift at Swiss Chalet in Bedford, N.S., when Canada Post called with some good news.

"I got my passport," he told CBC News Wednesday. "I was shocked."

Joseph had sent his Indian passport through Canada Post to Ottawa to get a new Canadian temporary resident visa stamped in it, so he could return to India in January to see his family. When it was mailed back to him, it was tracked and required a signature on delivery, but Canada Post still lost it.

Not long after CBC News reported on his story, Canada Post found the passport.

"They told me they got it from an apartment," he said.

He said it seems Canada Post delivered it to the wrong person, who later saw Joseph's name on it and returned it to Canada Post in late November. They quickly got it back to Joseph.

Canada Post also reimbursed him for the money he'd already spent trying to get a new passport.He hadapplied for a new one, but was able to stop that process at the Indian high commission, so he can keep his original passport.

But Joseph said he'd already cancelled his trip home. He hopes to rebook his return to India next year.

He said after CBC ran his story, he heard from lots of other people; Canada Post had lost their passports, too.

"Canada Post is taking this thing very lightly, the passport," he said. "I won't be sending any important documents through Canada Post."

Valrie Chartrand, a spokesperson for Canada Post, said they regretted that the passport had gotten lost.

"Canada Post takes very seriously its responsibility to safely deliver something as important and as sensitive as a passport and therefore investigated immediately when we were first contacted by the customer," she said in an email to CBC News.

"We are pleased to report that the passport has been recovered and is now in the hands of the customer. Our superintendent met with the customer to hand deliver the item with an apology letter."

MORE TOP STORIES