Canada Post to stop home mail delivery

[MoneyGuy]

I haven't had door-to-door mail delivery for 40 years but that's not why I dislike this. I don't need it and don't want it. Door-to-door delivery is expensive and unnecessary. I actually made that point with Canada Post a few weeks ago before this actually became an issue again.

[FlamesAddiction]

Personally, I don't care either way. I haven't used home delivery in about 10 years. I just don't see why they shouldn't try to make it work for some areas. Especially in older neighbourhoods where parking and sidewalk space is hard to find. In newer subdivisions, it is easier because they plan on having open space to put those things. It's way more convenient than for people that live in older areas. Seriously, stopping at the post office or a post box during rush hour in densely populated areas would suck and probably clog up traffic worse than it already is. Plus those areas have the population density to support home delivery better.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Personally, I don't care either way. I haven't used home delivery in about 10 years. I just don't see why they shouldn't try to make it work for some areas. Especially in older neighbourhoods where parking and sidewalk space is hard to find. In newer subdivisions, it is easier because they plan on having open space to put those things. It's way more convenient than for people that live in older areas. Seriously, stopping at the post office or a post box during rush hour in densely populated areas would suck and probably clog up traffic worse than it already is. Plus those areas have the population density to support home delivery better.

So all pigs are equal, some just more equal than others?

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

So all pigs are equal, some just more equal than others?

I would say that there probably isn't a one-size-fits-all solution, if that is what you mean. For example, a newer subdivision in Markham would have had post office boxes planned from the beginning, where a community in Toronto that was developed 200 years ago would not have this in the plans. And going door-to-door in a new subdivision would take a lot longer than is an older densely populated area, thus staffing would be less of a burden.

Or maybe they will decide screw it, home delivery stops after reviewing all the options. I don't pretend to know what the best decision will be, but I have no issue with having the discussion before implementing it everywhere.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Personally, I don't care either way. I haven't used home delivery in about 10 years. I just don't see why they shouldn't try to make it work for some areas. Especially in older neighbourhoods where parking and sidewalk space is hard to find. In newer subdivisions, it is easier because they plan on having open space to put those things. It's way more convenient than for people that live in older areas. Seriously, stopping at the post office or a post box during rush hour in densely populated areas would suck and probably clog up traffic worse than it already is. Plus those areas have the population density to support home delivery better.

I dunno, I just find it hard to believe that there aren't ample space in older neighbourhoods that can accommodate post boxes. If anything, older communities would have more space since houses are more spaced apart. I think it's more a combination of people not wanting to lose the service, and NIMBYs getting upset about a post box near their house.

[Mazrim]

I've had to pick up mail at a box for most of my life. The last 6 years I've had home delivery and it's not really any better. Anything that doesn't fit in my mailbox sits at my door, instead of safely in a parcel compartment in the community box. I've had plenty of mail ruined by the weather since a door mailbox isn't anything like the community boxes, and I have stuff always hanging out of it.

I'm glad we got our boxes installed just before this was suspended. I'm not dreading the extra 120 seconds of my day spent walking to and from the mailbox.

Originally Posted by Joborule

I'm actually bothered that they've poured the concrete base near my house, but haven't put up the mailbox yet. What a waste of money to delay it at this point. It's gonna happen because it's smart economically.

If it makes you feel any better, the concrete is precast and dropped into place and not poured. Much cheaper that way.

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

For example, a newer subdivision in Markham would have had post office boxes planned from the beginning, where a community in Toronto that was developed 200 years ago would not have this in the plans.

These boxes take up roughly 1 meter x 3 meters for a 3 box setup. I really doubt these old streets you mention have so little green space on the side of the road that they couldn't fit these every couple blocks.

[Resolute 14]

^ Hell, just take a drive through communities like Marlborough, Bowness, Forest Lawn, Inglewood, etc. In Calgary, it is places like that where the lions' share of home delivery still exists. And there is a ton of space for mail boxes.

[taco.vidal]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

I dunno, I just find it hard to believe that there aren't ample space in older neighbourhoods that can accommodate post boxes. If anything, older communities would have more space since houses are more spaced apart. I think it's more a combination of people not wanting to lose the service, and NIMBYs getting upset about a post box near their house.

I have door to door delivery and so do a few others in my family with some having already been switched over to the community boxes.

I don't care about losing door to door service. Im getting less and less mail as most other people. Most of my mail, even addressed mail, is what I would consider junk. Its not a big deal for me to go to a box once a week or so to see if Ive received anything. It would also mean that I wouldn't have to have someone pickup my mail when I am away.

Most others in my family felt the same way. It's true that many seniors still get a lot of snail mail. Change is also harder as you get older so if youve had door to door delivery for 30, 40, or 50 years that you've lived in your house and now they are eliminating then change may be difficult. I had an aunt and uncle in this situation. They got switched to a community mailbox after living in their house for decades. At first they were concerned, however after looking into it, they realized that you can make arrangements to have CanadaPost deliver mail to seniors' homes once per week. They are satisfied with this free service.

The big problem that most everyone Ive talked to, including my family and myself, is where these boxes are being placed. When a new neighbourhood is planned, streets are designed with community mail boxes in mind. This was never a consideration in older neighbourhoods. Often times their is no green space or public property near which a box can be put away from someones home. NIMBY? When CanadaPost is putting these boxed on small strips of city land adjacent to someones yard I can fully understand why they might say "Not In My Backyard." The worst part is that Canada Post seems to have done no consultation with communities and has taken an approach that sometimes seems less than sensical when placing these boxes. In addition, Canadapost has been confrontational and often non-responsive to any concerns that have been raised. My parents were lucky as they didn't get a box in their front yard, but the box on their quiet residential street was placed in someones front yard on a curve on their street. That house no overlooks the community mailbox, has to deal with increased foot and car traffic in front of the home, and garbage from junk from the boxes.

Google the issue and you will find dozens and dozens of news stories of complaints of homeowners getting boxes adjacent to their properties.

Heres one from today in Calgary. http://globalnews.ca/news/2303067/mi...ilbox-program/
In the video on the 6pm news you could see how close the box is to her yard. Id be pretty upset if I had to deal with that. Its gonna have an impact on property value as well as any buyer that wants a private yard won't want to deal with that.

[#-3]

I hate the roll back on the program, but I'm with Taco. A progressive decision would have been giving Canada Post government resources to find the right location for boxes. I have seen some examples of really poorly placed boxes.

[Regular_John]

Originally Posted by Mazrim

I'm glad we got our boxes installed just before this was suspended. I'm not dreading the extra 120 seconds of my day spent walking to and from the mailbox.

Wasn't our community delivery suppose to begin on Monday? I'm still getting mail at our front door, despite having the keys and the community boxes having been installed.

Same story at your unit?

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by jaydorn

Wasn't our community delivery suppose to begin on Monday? I'm still getting mail at our front door, despite having the keys and the community boxes having been installed.

Same story at your unit?

Yup, I was surprised to see the mail at my door when I got home today. Hopefully just another hiccup from the late install of the boxes. It would be pretty dumb to install the boxes and then never use them.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by taco.vidal

I have door to door delivery and so do a few others in my family with some having already been switched over to the community boxes.

I don't care about losing door to door service. Im getting less and less mail as most other people. Most of my mail, even addressed mail, is what I would consider junk. Its not a big deal for me to go to a box once a week or so to see if Ive received anything. It would also mean that I wouldn't have to have someone pickup my mail when I am away.

Most others in my family felt the same way. It's true that many seniors still get a lot of snail mail. Change is also harder as you get older so if youve had door to door delivery for 30, 40, or 50 years that you've lived in your house and now they are eliminating then change may be difficult. I had an aunt and uncle in this situation. They got switched to a community mailbox after living in their house for decades. At first they were concerned, however after looking into it, they realized that you can make arrangements to have CanadaPost deliver mail to seniors' homes once per week. They are satisfied with this free service.

The big problem that most everyone Ive talked to, including my family and myself, is where these boxes are being placed. When a new neighbourhood is planned, streets are designed with community mail boxes in mind. This was never a consideration in older neighbourhoods. Often times their is no green space or public property near which a box can be put away from someones home. NIMBY? When CanadaPost is putting these boxed on small strips of city land adjacent to someones yard I can fully understand why they might say "Not In My Backyard." The worst part is that Canada Post seems to have done no consultation with communities and has taken an approach that sometimes seems less than sensical when placing these boxes. In addition, Canadapost has been confrontational and often non-responsive to any concerns that have been raised. My parents were lucky as they didn't get a box in their front yard, but the box on their quiet residential street was placed in someones front yard on a curve on their street. That house no overlooks the community mailbox, has to deal with increased foot and car traffic in front of the home, and garbage from junk from the boxes.

Google the issue and you will find dozens and dozens of news stories of complaints of homeowners getting boxes adjacent to their properties.

Heres one from today in Calgary. http://globalnews.ca/news/2303067/mi...ilbox-program/
In the video on the 6pm news you could see how close the box is to her yard. Id be pretty upset if I had to deal with that. Its gonna have an impact on property value as well as any buyer that wants a private yard won't want to deal with that.

There is a reason that you don't own the land in front part of your house. This is akin to complaining when the city cuts a tree down that the city feels is unsafe. In older communities they should place them in the same locations they do in new communities. At the back on the side of corner lots.

[ranchlandsselling]

Originally Posted by GGG

There is a reason that you don't own the land in front part of your house. This is akin to complaining when the city cuts a tree down that the city feels is unsafe. In older communities they should place them in the same locations they do in new communities. At the back on the side of corner lots.

You're comparing having a mailbox that possibly 50 people could stop at daily, attract trash, generate noise, litter, idling cars and constant noise to a dangerous tree being pruned?

I'd be outright pissed if that was my house/view/deck.

[burnin_vernon]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Canada Post lost money in 2011, 2012 and 2013. Over $500 million combined. The losses were even greater if you removed their subsidiary companies like Purolator. At the time the decision to end home delivery was made, there were fears that Canada Post would be losing up to $1 billion a year by 2020. Last year turned out to be the exception, as Canada Post turned a $300 million profit.

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

"Falling mail volumes will result in Canada Post losing a billion dollars a year by 2020, the Conference Board of Canada said..."

Except for the fact that Trudeau is only wasting our tax dollars to stop it and will have to waste even more tax dollars to roll it back or to re-start it. So, great. The one thing Trudeau has actually done so far is a huge, pointless waste. If that is going to be his modus operandi, then we're in trouble.

.

In 2011, there was a $327 million loss due to lawsuit and a lockout. The losses were not due to operations.

There was no loss in 2012. The Conference Board of Canada (which Chopra sits on) predicted a huge loss, when, in fact, CP made $94 million.

2013 saw a loss of $125 million.

2014 made a profit of $299 million.

With parcel volume increasing constantly, admail revenue blowing up, lower wages to new hires, reduced sick time, and eliminating jobs, Canada Post is not in the trouble many believe it to be. They won't be going near anyone's tax money.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by burnin_vernon

and eliminating jobs

Right. And what was one of the ways they eliminated jobs?

Superbox deliveries (at least in my area) aren't by Canada Post employees.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

Originally Posted by burnin_vernon

In 2011, there was a $327 million loss due to lawsuit and a lockout. The losses were not due to operations.

There was no loss in 2012. The Conference Board of Canada (which Chopra sits on) predicted a huge loss, when, in fact, CP made $94 million.

2013 saw a loss of $125 million.

2014 made a profit of $299 million.

With parcel volume increasing constantly, admail revenue blowing up, lower wages to new hires, reduced sick time, and eliminating jobs, Canada Post is not in the trouble many believe it to be. They won't be going near anyone's tax money.

Is there any evidence that home delivery is more efficient and cost effective? That is the issue, not the profit or loss over a given year. Eliminating home delivery seemed like a sensible, fiscal decision, especially since new communities don't have that service. The only reason to go back to it seems to be to keep the union happy.

[Handsome B. Wonderful]

Originally Posted by ranchlandsselling

You're comparing having a mailbox that possibly 50 people could stop at daily, attract trash, generate noise, litter, idling cars and constant noise to a dangerous tree being pruned?

I'd be outright pissed if that was my house/view/deck.

What the hell is going on at your mailbox that has people idling cars and generating noise? Mine is quiet, clean, and I run in to someone else collecting their mail at the same time maybe twice per year.

[Ducay]

Originally Posted by Handsome B. Wonderful

What the hell is going on at your mailbox that has people idling cars and generating noise? Mine is quiet, clean, and I run in to someone else collecting their mail at the same time maybe twice per year.

I think he's referring to the "male box" at South Glenmore park?

[ranchlandsselling]

Originally Posted by Handsome B. Wonderful

What the hell is going on at your mailbox that has people idling cars and generating noise? Mine is quiet, clean, and I run in to someone else collecting their mail at the same time maybe twice per year.

My mailbox isn't anywhere near me (thankfully), but there's always cars pulling up, idling while they sort through their mail. Cars make noise, doors opening and closing make noise. Some people drop their spam mail (by accident) as they're flipping through it, advertisers (day cares, cleaners, etc) put stickers on the box. I'm not saying it's horrific, but to pretend it's noise free and without any concerns isn't fair.

And I was mostly getting at the comparison of a mailbox to a dangerous tree being pruned as being a poor comparison.

[ranchlandsselling]

Originally Posted by Ducay

I think he's referring to the "male box" at South Glenmore park?

What do you mean by that?