Ottawa – Cathy McLeod, Member of Parliament for Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo is inviting all constituents to have their say in the future of Canada Post.
“Last month, the Conference Board of Canada released a report on the future of Canada Post. It projected that the relentless decline in mail volume may lead to losses of close to $1 billion a year by 2020,” stated McLeod.
Canada Post is at a pivotal moment in its history. After successfully adjusting to fax machines, email, and broadband internet, along came a combination of high speed internet and smart tablets which have shaken the mail business to its core. Statistically, Canadians mailed almost one billion fewer letters in 2012 than they did in 2006. This loss of letter mail volume means financial losses. In 2011, for the first time in 17 years Canada Post failed to earn a profit and reported a loss of $327 million before tax.
In the coming months Canada Post faces the challenge of considering all options to avoid becoming a burden on taxpayers. In doing so, Canada Post must also continue to meet its public policy obligations, such as serving every Canadian address, including those in rural and northern Canada.
Canada Post engaged the Conference Board of Canada to conduct an independent assessment of the future of postal service in Canada. The Conference Board report found:
• Most Canadians believe that, despite the spread of electronic communications, they continue to need postal services but they recognize the need for change.
• Customers see the current price of a stamp as good value, and are willing to tolerate slower service than they now receive.
• The postal system remains an integral part of how small businesses send invoices and collect payments.
The Conference Board then offered a framework for discussion of options addressing the challenge:
• Converting Canadian households’ door-to-door delivery to community mailboxes;
• Price increases;
• Further replacement of corporate post offices with franchised postal outlets;
• Reduced speed of delivery;
• Alternate day delivery for mail;
“I believe that Canada Post has to seriously consider all of the options in order to stem their losses as well as engage Canadians in this discussion,” said McLeod. “I encourage everyone to give their feedback either online at canadapost.ca or by mail to: The Future of Canada Post, 2701 Riverside Dr. Suite N0800, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0B1.”