Folks, I have an "anecdote" to share!
Just heard from my friend (AR around 2021Apr) that her friend has been told by a kind agent from the call center of the Ministry of Pathtics of the ppl's Repblic of CAN (aka IRCC), that the reason behind the portal1 not being issued despite she's already got DM (for a while?), is the fact that the quota for this year is already full.
So,
1. The speculation is correct unfortunately.
2. The issuing of the DM is not considered as adding 1 number to the quota, it seems. Then perhaps eCOPR is?
(3. lol had they used up the quota of 2020 or 2021? iirc, news said they didn't. And if so, why can't they reallocate those bi- quotas for bi-'s sake. Why there is such a bi- quota from the beginning? lol)
Yes, minister, very droll, splendid, and see you next year.
(凸)