Culture & Entertainment

How do you feel about Canada Post's mail phase-out? We asked our readers.

Canadian Living
Culture & Entertainment

How do you feel about Canada Post's mail phase-out? We asked our readers.

Yesterday, Canada Post announced plans to phase out direct delivery of mail over the next five years—and now Canadians are in an uproar! This comes after years of decline in letter-mail and a $6.5-billion pension deficit. Instead of at-home delivery, neighbourhoods will have communal mailboxes. The plan to return to profitability will also include a price hike for stamps (from 63 cents to 85 cents, with single stamps available for $1) and significant job cuts (6,000 to 8,000 jobs as people retire). But how do you feel about the Canada Post's plans? We posed this question to our Facebook followers, and here's what some of them had to say: "Personally I think it is terrible when most of Canadians living in urban areas are the baby boomers. Many of them depend on their mail home delivery especially in the winter time when it is very difficult for them to get out & walk in the snow & ice." - Cindy Lyoness "I am not surprised but am a little concerned about the community box. I have talked to people who have had their box broken into 4 times since September and have to go into town to get their mail." - Hilda Tuin-Car "I hope that neighbours well help out neighbours with limited mobility. Personally, for me, it's not a big deal. Canada Post can't run at a huge deficit." - Anna Cole "Half the time mail carriers are only delivering junk mail. I personally don't like seeing money wasted to deliver pizza flyers and duct cleaning coupons. If people are upset they have to walk 5 mins to get the mail there's a bigger issue at hand. If you have elderly people in your area, be a good neighbor and offer to pick it up for them." - Nikki Scott "I could tell 2yrs ago that there would have to make changes because of the internet for one. You can do everything there now: keep in contact, pay bills, look up anything you need. It was just a matter of time. In time life changes and you have to be smart enough to change with it or be left behind." - Paulette Collins "Hiking postage rates is one thing but holy moly why so much? That's the crazy part. People won't even be able to send a simple card anymore let alone afford to send Christmas cards and stuff." - Rene Hicks Seward "Canada Post seems to miss the boat with regards to customers. I used to ship about 40 packages a week selling on eBay. If I shipped through Canada Post, I not only had to pay 75% more but I also had to buy packaging. If I drove 40 mins to the US, I could pay 75% less, get free boxes, tracking, envelopes, insurance and it arrived in 1-2 days instead of 2-3 weeks. We couldn't compete with US sellers if we shipped with Canada Post." - Millie Hatcher "'Stop feeling entitled!' to those that are complaining. Canada Post is a business." - Catherine Dianne Mini Jacques "Just think about the exercise we all will get by actually WALKING somewhere!!" - Stephanie Shier "It makes sense. To the people who complain it will be a challenge for seniors and people with mobility issues, those same people manage to get food. They'll figure out how to get their mail." - Karen Alger Read our life and relationships web editor Simone Castello's thoughts on the lost art of letter writing, or listen to her talk about it on CBC.ca.

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How do you feel about Canada Post's mail phase-out? We asked our readers.

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