Thanks all for your contributions so far - have been extremely helpful!
I called Passport Services yesterday; started at #120 and took ~50mins to get to the front of the line - there was a message every 2mins or so to let me know where I was in the queue. The lady that helped me was very patient and kept apologising for keeping me waiting whenever she needed to put me on hold to check on some information or the other. My passport is "in production" she said, and she gave me my file number with the suggestion that I call back in 10 days to get my tracking number. My kids' applications, however, needed further documentation - their birth certificates that were issued in our home country because they were not born in Canada (don't remember seeing that in the requirements, but could have missed it); she gave me their file numbers and the address to send the original documents to (Kelowna, BC - I'm in the GTA and the applications were delivered to Gatineau, QC on Jun 28th) with the promise they will be returned along with their citizenship certificates.
I called Passport Services yesterday; started at #120 and took ~50mins to get to the front of the line - there was a message every 2mins or so to let me know where I was in the queue. The lady that helped me was very patient and kept apologising for keeping me waiting whenever she needed to put me on hold to check on some information or the other. My passport is "in production" she said, and she gave me my file number with the suggestion that I call back in 10 days to get my tracking number. My kids' applications, however, needed further documentation - their birth certificates that were issued in our home country because they were not born in Canada (don't remember seeing that in the requirements, but could have missed it); she gave me their file numbers and the address to send the original documents to (Kelowna, BC - I'm in the GTA and the applications were delivered to Gatineau, QC on Jun 28th) with the promise they will be returned along with their citizenship certificates.