I see nothing has changed. I had to fly to Toronto from New Brunswick for my biometrics as they closed the Halifax office. I had a number of questions I needed answered before going but could NOT for the life of me get a live human being on the phone at the British High Commission in Ottawa.
Flew to Toronto for my biometrics and sent in application on the 14th of June. Received an email saying they received my application, but apart from that, not a peep.
And the instructions/guidance on the visa4uk.com website are an absolute joke.

-- Sun Aug 22, 2010 3:35 pm --
Just to update this, didn't hear anything until I got an email saying my visa had been approved and was on its way - it arrived the next day - so from time biometrics were done to the day I had it in my hands was a total of 14 days.
Canadian In England since 2009.