Canada’s second most populous city, Montreal, is joining a legal challenge against the Canadian government mail delivery service, Canada Post. “We want to send a clear message to the federal government and to Canada Post that home mail delivery is an essential service for our citizens,” said Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre.
He also wants opposition party leaders to say whether or not they would support a moratorium on the community mailboxes. (There is a federal election planned this year.)
In December, 2014, Canada Post announced it was going to stop home delivery service saying it was losing money and the use of letters was down.
However the crown corporation has been making profits in almost every year, and despite the drop in letters being mailed, the number of parcels being delivered has grown.
Montreal is joining a Federal Court challenge announced last autumn by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) along with groups representing seniors and the disabled.
Benoit Dorais, the mayor of the Montreal neighbourhood of Sud-Ouest, is chairing a consultation committee on the community mailboxes for the city. He’s concerned about the impact of the 50,000 community mailboxes in 15,000 different locations. “That represents around 25 kilometres of community mailboxes put side by side. That seems worrisome, and impossible that it wouldn’t have an impact on the public.”
More information:
Montreal Gazette – Montreal calls for moratorium on Canada Post’s community mailboxes – here
CBC News – Canada Post court challenge launched to save home mail delivery – here
RCI (December, 2014) – Canada Post’s sales pitch tailored to justify cuts – here
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