Urban centres oppose cuts

Municipalities oppose Canada Post’s cuts

to country-wide door-to-door delivery service

True North Perspective

23 April 2014 OTTAWA — In the wake of drastic cuts announced by Canada Post and backed by the federal Conservatives last December, a growing number of city and town councils are formally opposing the plan to eliminate door-to-door delivery.

That number is now on par with the number of communities with which Canada Post claims it had consulted.

“Forty-six municipalities, including some of Canada’s biggest cities, have now passed resolutions in support of door-to-door delivery and the number keeps growing,” said Denis Lemelin, National President of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW).

“These cuts would hurt communities. They would make the cost of doing municipal business more expensive, download the costs of maintaining so-called community mailboxes onto towns and cities, and cut off seniors and people with disabilities in our neighbourhoods,” said Mr. Lemelin.

The Five-Point Action Plan published by Canada Post claims it consulted people in 46 communities across the country but CUPW pointed out in December that these consultations were by invite-only. More public consultation was done via an online and mail survey but CUPW’s analysis of those results shows little to no support for cuts.

“Do you know anybody Canada Post actually consulted with? I don't,” said Mr. Lemelin.

“What we’ve heard since the cutback announcement tells us that Canada Post has some real work to do in terms of meaningful public consultation.”

The municipalities are:

Victoria, BC; Medicine Hat, AB; Vancouver, BC; Sannich, BC; Sault Ste Marie, ON; Kirkland Lake, ON; New Westminster, BC; Montreal, QC; Charlottetown, PEI; Fort Erie, ON; Georgina, ON; Windsor, ON; Toronto, ON; Brantford, ON; Antigonish, NS; Castlegar, BC; Burnaby, BC; Winnipeg, MB; Hamilton, ON; Dieppe, NB; La Sarre, QC Notre-Dame-des-Prairies, QC; Baie-Comeau, QC; Truro, NS; Fort St. John, BC; Nelson, BC; Kenora, ON; Mascouche, QC; Repentigny, QC; Saint-Valérien de Milton, QC; Boucherville, QC; Saint John's, NL; Timmins, ON; Miramichi, NS; Brandon, MB; Smithers, BC; Thompson, MB; Brampton, ON; Temiskaming Shores, ON; Bathurst, NB; West Vancouver, BC; Huron Shores, ON; London, ON; Rosemère, QC; Joliette, QC; North Vancouver, BC.

In addition to the municipalities, five municipal bodies or organizations also passed resolutions in opposition to the door-to-door delivery cuts.

Union des municipalités du Quebec; Federation of Canadian Municipalities Big Mayors Caucus; MRC D'Abitibi-Quest; MRC des Maskoutains; MRC de Thérèse-De Blainville;