Canada Post has increased its postage rates and is planning to cut up to 8,000 jobs in a move to phase out domestic mail delivery in favour of consumers in urban areas collecting their mail from central points over the next 5 years, reports say. The new charge of $1 for a single stamp, or 85 cents if bought by the pack, is up from 63 cents as Canada Post and The Crown Corporation seek to stem losses. With Canada’s government, banks and utility businesses switching from post in favour of online billing and direct debits, as they have in the UK, mail volumes there are dwindling. In Canada, however, much is being made of the fact that elected MPs are entitled to the free distribution of up to 4 unaddressed mailers a year to their constituents and enjoy deep discounts for further campaigns via Canada Post. If these, and the franked letters sent by Parliamentarians at zero cost were paid for at commercial rates, some say, the full domestic postal delivery service might be able to be salvaged.
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