Things are changing with our mail services and Canada Post reforms are expected to be announced today.
The federal Liberals are expected to announce that they are making permanent a freeze on converting home delivery to community mailboxes meaning the aproximately 800,000 families already affected who have been walking down the street for their mail, won’t see door-to-door delivery brought back.
Instead it is reported that the government will set up a task force to deal with accessibility issues for those 800,000 households and others with the emphasis on better serving seniors and people with mobility issues.
The previous Conservative government decided to end regular mail service initially as a cost-saving measure and instead deliver letters to community mail boxes. The Liberals however made mention during the 2015 election campaign that they would make some efforts to save regular home delivery.
Officials say Public Services Minister Carla Qualtrough is expected to roll out the new plans this morning in Mississauga and will also introduce changes to the financial rules that drive Canada Post, emphasizing the need to make a profit, and then reinvest the extra money back into the Crown agency to improve services and become self-sustaining over the long haul.
Turnover of Leadership
Senior leadership at the post office is in the middle of a large-scale turnover which includes a search for a new CEO and this will also be mandated to establish more cordial labour relations.
As well, officials say the government will push Canada Post to promote its remittance services, encouraging more customers in Canada to use the postal service to send money to friends and family abroad.
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers is not for the plan and has called instead for a reintroduction of banking services at postal outlets as a way to make money, an idea that has been rejected by the agency.
The government will also ask Canada Post to capitalize on a boom in its parcel services, since it appears that is where the profits are and regular mail deliveries have plummeted.
Canada Post will also be expected to look at how other countries have used weekend delivery or parcel lockers to boost their postal service revenues, and ways to leverage the fact Canada Post has a presence in the smallest of Canadian communities, and could be used to deliver other government services.
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