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The Council of Canadians is opposed to the ending of door-to-door mail delivery that was initiated under soon-to-be former prime minister Stephen Harper. The Council of Canadians London chapter was particularly active in the campaign against the so-called “community” mailboxes that were to replace door-to-door delivery.
Yesterday, Canada Post announced it was “suspending future deployment of the program.”
CTV reports,
“Some Forest City [London] residents are upset about the loss of home delivery and have staged numerous protests — including blocking installation of the boxes…The halt to community mailbox conversion reportedly involves about 460,000 addresses across Canada that are already in the process of being switched over from door-to-door service….Officials say conversions slated for November and December, or announced for 2016, are being put on hold, and those customers will receive a letter shortly with an update. However, in areas where the conversion process is complete, Canada Post says customers will be getting their mail and parcels at their community mailbox – including those set to lose door-to-door service in October.”
On Facebook, London chapter activist Robert Cory notes, “WIN!!! London, Ontario played a huge part in stopping the cuts to services in Canada Post on a Conservative road to privatization! Hopefully, this misguided program to eliminate door to door delivery of mail will be deep-sixed for good.”
In July of this year, the Toronto Star reported,
“Miniature gardens are sprouting at certain locations in London, Ont., where Canada Post plans to install controversial community mailboxes. The fenced-in flower beds, which sit atop concrete pads where mailboxes will stand, are being installed by a group of residents opposed to the Crown corporation’s plan to end door-to-door residential mail delivery. The group, called Londoners for Door to Door [which includes the Council of Canadians London chapter], says the garden boxes are being set up in areas where local residents are unhappy with making the switch to community mailboxes.”
The Liberal platform this election promised,
“We will save home mail delivery. By ending door-to-door mail delivery, Stephen Harper is asking Canadians to pay more for less service. That is unacceptable. We will stop Stephen Harper’s plan to end door-to-door mail delivery in Canada and undertake a new review of Canada Post to make sure that it provides high-quality service at a reasonable price to Canadians, no matter where they live.”
When the Harper government first announced that door-to-door mail delivery would stop for five million households over a five-year period, Council of Canadians chairperson Maude Barlow commented, “This is yet another case of a Harper-driven impoverishment of an essential service. It will negatively affect seniors, people with disabilities and other Canadians who rely on the mail.”
We await the full restoration of door-to-door mail delivery in this country.
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