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Best Government offices in Canada

Top Rated Government offices

Top Reviewed Government offices

Reviews

Jeru 10
at 2024 Jan 11
Jeru 10
at 2024 Jan 11
The guy who works the front desk was rude and condescending, Truly customer disservice. He probably wouldn't need a protective glass window if he treated people better. Can't wait till they get rid of this place and replace them with kiosks, Then we won't have to deal with anyone gate keeping human rights. Honestly - 5 STARS!!
MAITRI SHAH
at 2024 Jan 04
MAITRI SHAH
at 2024 Jan 04
I went to service Ontario today for my health card appointment. I really had a bad experience with the whole formalities. One of the lady employees who i saw for my application was really very rude. She made me feel uncomfortable throughout process. Worst experience ever.
Terry Bell
at 2023 Dec 18
Terry Bell
at 2023 Dec 18
In general, when you have to visit a government office, you lower your expectations for how your day is going to go. However, I've had great experiences here on multiple occasions (for car import, health card application, and health card renewal). You get the feeling the staff really try their best to help you. They work hard to check your documents as you wait in line and at the triage station, to make sure you don't waste time. The wait is fine; just show up early (15-30 min before they open) and even better if you make an appointment online ahead of time. Compared to what this could be, very well run.
Harishyam Manohar
at 2023 Dec 16
Harishyam Manohar
at 2023 Dec 16
The Rideau Hall tour in Ottawa was a fantastic experience. The abundance of artistic portraits provided a captivating glimpse into Canada's history. The premises were impeccably maintained, showcasing a meticulous attention to detail. The knowledgeable tour guide expertly led us through, making the 45-50 minutes both informative and engaging. The decoration and intricate details throughout the hall were nothing short of amazing, truly adding depth to the tour's experience. Overall, a highly recommended visit for anyone seeking a blend of art, history, and remarkable craftsmanship.

There was no parking in the premises so had to park in the adjacent streets.
Why Canadian documents need to take 30 to 45 working days. what is wrong .... Are you really working? or playing? other countries do this in just few seconds wake up and work.
Moon
at 2023 Dec 12
Moon
at 2023 Dec 12
My entire life has been in customer service and experience. The last week has demonstrated exemplary customer service. I booked an appointment using the online booking tool (I suggest you all do the same). I came in (December 8th, 2023) to get a complete driver record history ($54) which can only be done in person or through mail as per the website. The first time I came in, the individual at the counter mentioned this could only be done online. I paid $12 for whatever record was available. I wrote an email explaining the situation. Within 3 business days I received a call/email from the Manager, Amanda and was able to explain the situation. I was able to come back in (Dec 12th, 2023) and pay the difference $42 and fill out the correct form to begin the process to get my entire driver record.

The only feedback:
1. if the website could allow for this form/other forms to be done online that would be great.
2. the form on the website doesn't work so you have to do this in person.

Thanks for addressing all of this!
Edward A
at 2023 Dec 08
Edward A
at 2023 Dec 08
Thanks for the "Free" authentication "services". 15 business days have passed on top of the estimated 30 business days processing time and I still have no idea about the status of my documents. All I know is that someone's dog may have eaten them for dinner. 30 business days is your own specified processing time, not mine. Please be so kind and honor your own estimates...
Did I mention that the online status request form is useless as they never respond to it?...
Dec 13 Update: received the authenticated documents 18 business days after the 30 days estimate. So 48 business days in total which is 9 weeks and change. That's "free" service in Canada for you, just like the healthcare. Just pay with your time and mental health.
Mister Klik
at 2023 Nov 22
Mister Klik
at 2023 Nov 22
I made an appointment, when I arrived at Service Ontario I was given a number to go to an agent but the number was not entered into the system and I ended up waiting in line for over an hour after my appointment time. Some of the staff at this service are completely incompetent. Otherwise the service is fast
Staff Member (Amanda) & (Zara) were able assist me with my transaction (New/Used Vehicle Registration) with amazing service, expediting the process with little to no hassle and educating myself with the required documentation needed for my transaction.

Recognition of honesty, great work ethic & service deserves to be appreciated! Thank you for your assistance today & I look forward to have you assist me with my next visit!
Margie W
at 2023 Oct 28
Margie W
at 2023 Oct 28
Everyone is so kind and welcoming.
Can't believe this is an ongoing running office building, and you open your arm and welcome us to visit.
It's gorgeous and beautiful.
Do remember to reserve your visit on line.
The restaurant here looks amazing, I wish I knew earlier so I can have my brunch here.
Dia Haddad
at 2023 Oct 25
Dia Haddad
at 2023 Oct 25
Really interesting! You have to pre-book your free tickets online. And there is free street parking close as well. You get a tour of the major important rooms inside the hall.

The outside of rideau hall and gardens requires no ticket. Just walk in and enjoy! Beautiful gardens!!
Sheraz Butt
at 2023 Oct 20
Sheraz Butt
at 2023 Oct 20
Quick and fast service! Got there 10 min prior to closing and Shauna helped me get my baby's health card within the time frame! I will absolutely only be coming to this location and thank you again for Shauna and Curtis for finishing it up smoothly and quickly!
I like Manitoba to an MLM after my experience here. Unless you are able to remain Naive to the point of delusional or have enough wealthy friends and family to sponsor your advancement, you're not going to have a good time here😂
Jale Sadr
at 2023 Oct 03
Jale Sadr
at 2023 Oct 03
There is a FIFO-style free tour guide who talks extremely fast :)) You can embrace the serenity of the garden with having a 30 mins hall tour. Worth to visit.
Love the free guided tours. The residence has some great rooms for photo ops. A must see if you are visiting Ottawa. The grounds also offer a beautiful space for walking or picnics.
Sehr schönes, ehemaliges Regierungsgebäude. Das Gebäude liegt auf einer Anhöhe und ist sehr breit. Diverse hochwertige Statuen befinden sich Davor bzw in der Fassade des Gebäudes. Die detailreichen Arbeiten sind wirklich beeindruckend.
Yan
at 2023 Sep 29
Yan
at 2023 Sep 29
It's unclear to me why it's nearly impossible to reach you, whether by phone or email. What's a person to do? It's shameful, disappointing, and frankly disrespectful to have such low grade customer service on the embassy level. Even the Toronto Consulate is better than that.
basil I
at 2023 Sep 15
basil I
at 2023 Sep 15
Main door security is amazing but everything else is a bit of a mess….no instructions, not the best service, no one actually explains anything, and paperwork is done in the distribution centre while you stand outside…..third world country style
Narayan Viswanath
at 2023 Sep 09
Narayan Viswanath
at 2023 Sep 09
Very beautiful landscaping. So invigorating to take a walk in the gardens. Very well maintained.
Bruce Gillespie
at 2023 Sep 05
Bruce Gillespie
at 2023 Sep 05
Great grounds for walking or biking. Tours of the house are quick and cool to see, usually going every 30 min no sign up required. The gardens are very nice (only open during open door days). Free street parking on MacKay street.
I am Q
at 2023 Aug 30
I am Q
at 2023 Aug 30
Amazing structure and architecture with ornaments and statues of famous Canadian historical persons. The beautiful garden is filled with flowers. A must place to see in Quebec City
K. King
at 2023 Aug 21
K. King
at 2023 Aug 21
Overall I can't say anything negative about this location other than the obvious; the long lines. That being said for the amount of people lined up it DOES move pretty quickly providing people come prepared with the correct documentation! Most of the staff are friendly and very nice people, but like with anyone else if they aren't treated with respect don't expect it back.
Flowers are beautiful, but the public seating needs more maintenance.
Wish I could add more pictures as there’s so much to share. The garden is amazing. Just walking through here is awesome as there’s so much history to be seen. You can make reservations ahead of time or just do a self-guided tour which is what we did, with no advance planning. It’s a gorgeous building and everyone was so wonderfully pleasant.
Great inside and out! Wonderful walking grounds and place to visit! Parking can be difficult as it is downtown and paid but you should be able to find some on the side roads.
Terry Korte
at 2023 Aug 05
Terry Korte
at 2023 Aug 05
The self guided tour which was available in English was informative and engaging. The architecture is incredible, and the interview video displays (also available in English) were excellent. Cool to see the old and the new. A self guided booklet was well done. And free!!
Gardens outside are lovely as well.
We really enjoyed touring the Parliament building. We were able to walk in without a reservation and all we had to do was show our ID and we were able to do a free self guided tour. I enjoyed learning and being able to explore the building and have access to view the rooms where important decisions are made. I would highly recommend checking out the inside as well as walking around the outside of the building as well. They do a great job with the upkeep and landscaping. It’s a beautiful building and a wonderful free activity to do while in Quebec.
I took this tour on Monday at 4:00. This was a really great tour. The tour guide was a wealth of knowledge and interesting facts. Well worth the time! A heads-up, if you take the last tour of the day, the gift shop will be closed by the end of the tour.
Absolutely loved my visit. It was a Tuesday morning and it was quite empty. You need an ID to get in.
I wasn’t planning to visit but when I went to the tourism information office to ask about Montmorency Falls and they guide told me to visit the parliament.
Extremely interesting and they provide guides, iPads and even Wi-Fi so u can use ur smartphone on a self tour.
Ah they also provide guided tours (which I’m almost sure it is also free) but I didn’t want to wait for 1 hour hence I did a self guided tour.
Nice place to spend the day in good company.
Hamideh N.
at 2023 Jul 10
Hamideh N.
at 2023 Jul 10
The garden was beautiful and peaceful, and the guardians were very patient as they stood by our side until we finished taking our group photos. It was interesting to see the variety of trees, each one planted by a different president or leader from around the world.
If you want to visit there, make sure to purchase your tickets earlier online.
Highly recommended!
guten morgan
at 2023 Jul 07
guten morgan
at 2023 Jul 07
i did not go inside but this place is really beautiful. there are volunteered run gardens around, absolutely beautiful! free admission
Tom H
at 2023 Jun 29
Tom H
at 2023 Jun 29
Jeff and Leesha were great to work with. Prompt and professional service.
Went on a tour of the building and sat in on Question Period. Really cool experience, highly recommend learning about Manitoba's history and our political system. The building is stunning.
kazumi makwana
at 2023 Jun 06
kazumi makwana
at 2023 Jun 06
Nice beautiful place... they are open all year round for tours and it's free. only thing is you have to make a call and reserve your spot. they go by appointments only. P.S it doesn't have to be a big group even one person can get tour as well. we took advantage of Doors Open Ottawa and got to see their beautiful green house that's not usually open every day for public. The green house had plants ranging from big jades, pinaple, oranges and many exotic flowering plants as well. it's a very well maintained green house, really impressed.
there is an ice rink for winter ice skating thats free too. parking is on street or paid. easy access by transit.
good to know the history of politically important persons (if ur interested).
Doris
at 2023 Jun 05
Doris
at 2023 Jun 05
Literally cannot complete my visa process because the estimated turnaround time is so long and there is a time constraint imposed by the foreign govt I'm applying to.
Rosemary Stamp
at 2023 May 30
Rosemary Stamp
at 2023 May 30
Had a lovely afternoon tea with my daughter and her boyfriend at Rudy's teahouse. The a gardens are beautiful. Took a walk there after our tea . The roses are just starting to bloom 🌹
The gardens are beautiful all year round. Free admission, many types of gardens (rose, herb, winter, etc.) to stroll, an amazing costume museum and a tea house to relax after your walk. What's not to like 🤷!
Gorgeous revivalist baroque architecture, beautiful to walk around here. Absolutely magnificent. Other than the random protests they keep it nice and clean, I remember going in here for a field trip, there are amazing paintings and stonework.
D J
at 2023 May 16
D J
at 2023 May 16
Not a very good experience delivering my documents to be authenticated recently.

You fill up in the parking area which is not much parking and you going to the doors and I tell you to go around the corner and it is very difficult to find what they are talking about in fact I had to walk around and then realize i walk too far.

Then I had to ask a person in a truck where it was and was right in front of me and it's a delivery service is not document services.

The commissioners security guard open the door a big garage door and had me sign my paperwork on the table there and then he gave me a tracking number.

There could be a better way to do this no?

Now I will anxiously wait them to complete my paperwork which is not much but based on what I've read so far and what experienced recently I would not be surprised it would take a long time to get my documents authenticated.

Canada has not been Canada for about 30 to 40 years.
INHYEOK YUN
at 2023 May 15
INHYEOK YUN
at 2023 May 15
The excitement of the beautiful gardens and trees outside turns into a solemn heart when you go inside. It's a wonderful place. Just remember that you have to pre-register to see inside.
Very nice gardens and walking trails
Jeff Eng
at 2023 May 01
Jeff Eng
at 2023 May 01
The parliament building is beautiful and the grandeur of it is awe-inspiring. There is plenty to observe and look at from the architecture and the statues of previous government figures. The grounds are also spectacular, with gorgeous gardens that are very well maintained. There is no cost to visit, so it is certainly worth a visit if you are already in the area. Even if you aren't a gardener, I think most people will appreciate the beauty of these gardens and find some enjoyment in exploring them all.

When I visited, it was already late, so the building was closed, but entry to the building is otherwise normally free, so you can explore inside as well, which would also be a great educational experience for the kids.

Not sure how well known this is, but there is also an extensive vegetable garden that visitors can freely use. My kids were very excited about that part and we took home a few things to enjoy with our dinner that evening.
I took a individual tour as I missed out on my school's city of archive tour. I didn't expect anyone to give me a tour, I was thinking I'd go and look around. Jeff gave my boyfriend and I an excellent tour and Jeff was very informative and helpful, despite us randomly dropping in. Jeff convinced me to become an archivist by how he told of his experience workind in archives. We both really enjoyed ourself and was met with great service.
YPU -DELT
at 2023 Mar 28
YPU -DELT
at 2023 Mar 28
Very nice lobby, very welcoming, the service is great and friendly, very straightforward, nice atmosphere and very friendly service.
They seem to have disabled their voicemail so that people cannot leave a message or comment outside of business hours. Their announcement provides a number for consular emergencies (that goes to a voicemail that is full) and then hangs up.
The authentication service is worthy of a third world country.

Firstly, they don't have an office. You have to submit your documents from outside the building, between a garage door and a parking lot, even if it's - 20 outside. I had to go there twice in January and was litteraly freezing.

Secondly, no one is there to help you but a sub-contracted Garda agent. If a proper Global Affairs Canada official would have been there to answer my questions, I would have been informed that the notarization and authentication were both doable in the host country since it has a Canadian consulate that provides these specific services.

All in all, my experience at Global Affairs Canada gave me a very poor impression of our country's bureaucracy.
Mat Bienczyk
at 2022 Dec 05
Mat Bienczyk
at 2022 Dec 05
Amazing place to walk around, see the various gardens, trees, and nature. It's the official residence of the Lieutenant Governor. There's a rock garden, rose garden, rhododendron garden, and various others - a very peaceful area.
Arifa Nazneen
at 2022 Oct 17
Arifa Nazneen
at 2022 Oct 17
A beautiful place, anybody who likes nature and flowers would love to visit this place. There is a small museum and tea shop also. A pond and fall added a pleasant environment to this area. Parking is free.
Maria A
at 2022 Jan 28
Maria A
at 2022 Jan 28
Authentication 'services' are a joke.
They are slow as a snail, change the deadlines constantly, have zero consideration towards the Canadian citizens.
Mi documents are plain, simple and only two, two Canadian issued documents.
They've passed the deadline and when I asked for my documents their response was useless and they sound like a freaking robot.
They are at the level of a 3rd world county.
Felipe Alfaro
at 2020 Jul 02
Felipe Alfaro
at 2020 Jul 02
Excelente servicio, me senti muy bien recibido y me ayudaron a apostillar mi titulo Canadiense.
Isis Hurtado
at 2019 Dec 10
Isis Hurtado
at 2019 Dec 10
A esta gente hay que darles un curso intensivo de lo que es una embajada y los servicios que deben ofrecer. Atencion al cliente? eso no existe para ellos. No te ayudan en nada ni por telefono ni en su pagina web. Extremadamente decepcionada y avergonzada de mi embajada en Canada.
Alistair Mason
at 2019 Jun 14
Alistair Mason
at 2019 Jun 14
The gardens are lovely, especially the two rose gardens, they were amazing. The tea room was nice, staff were so helpful and friendly and the food was really good. I think they are still getting themselves sorted as some little things weren't as smooth as they could have been (i.e. pots of tea but only one central source of milk) but everything was so lovely that little wrinkles don't take the edge off a great trip out. Oh also, there's still a bit of work being done to the house but most of it is clear of plastic.
Beautiful grounds to stroll through and get another Canadian history lesson as you read plaques around the grounds.

Lots of green space with sculptures. If in Winnipeg I suggest coming down and taking a look for yourself.

#localguides
Minal C.
at 2018 Nov 20
Minal C.
at 2018 Nov 20
Great customer service at the reception desk. They have 5 buildings and you may have to go around and about. If you want something certified by foreign affairs then you should go to the pyramid building as per the photo.
Our agents have developed a good relationship with the staff at the Embassy of Israel making the legalization process go really smoothly for our clients.

Thank you very much for your guidance and clarification.

The Authentication Legalization Services Canada Team
Whether our agent speaks a little, a lot, or no Spanish, the staff at the Embassy of Panama are always welcoming, and work with our agents to get the legalization of our clients' documents completed in a timely manner.

Thank you from the Authentication Legalization Services Canada Team.
Paul Marcil
at 2013 Dec 26
Paul Marcil
at 2013 Dec 26
The most satisfying and eye opening experience I have ever had. I simply adored my short holiday in Israel, and look forward to returning as soon as feasible. The people, the food, the historical impacts are what I think to be the fundamental qualities of the whole country. The scenery is majestic, the youth is dynamic and appears to be exceptionally healthy. And I think a lot of that can be attributed to the compulsory military service which forms them both physically and mentally. I felt very secure in public even though there were some young armed military personnel casually roamed about. No objections from anyone either.
Although very difficult to understand, the language is challenging. Have been trying to learn some through various pods on the internet. But would like more than that.
I also came to realize that most of the criticism we hear in Canada comes mostly from those who have never been, and take their cues from the media who love to attack whoever and whatever will sell papers or draw viewers for TV ratings, etc. Having visited, I also came to realize that we have as many negative situations and incidents here which don't seem to draw the same attention.

On another subject, I do however have a question - There is a lot of talent in Israel. I refer mostly to entertainers such as Shiri Maimon, Sarit Hadad, etc. It is noteworthy that many performances take place here representing other countries, but there never seems to be any representing Israel. I'm thinking particularly of the NAC which could probably sell out a classy performance by Jewish/Israeli talent, but never seems to promote any. Might be a thought worthy of consideration, even up on the Hill for Canada Day.

So,before I ramble on too long, I just want to say I love your country and everything about it. I took my two early 20 year olds with me and they were blown away by this incredible adventure and educational experience.. Thank you Israel!