Canada Post is temporarily suspending the program to convert door-to-door mail delivery to community mailboxes.
In a statement released by Canada Post on Monday, the corporation said it will work collaboratively with the Government of Canada to determine the best path forward given the ongoing challenges faced by the Canadian postal system.
“Efforts are now underway to place the comprehensive program on hold in an orderly fashion,” says Canada Post spokeswoman Anick Losier.
“This involves roughly 460,000 addresses across the country which are currently in the process to be converted to community mailboxes.”
All conversions planned for November and December 2015 and those announced for 2016 will be placed on hold.
Those in neighbourhoods where the conversion is already complete will not get door-to-door service back. This includes customers set to begin receiving their mail and parcels in their boxes in October.
Canadian Union of Postal Workers national president Mike Palecek said members are “ecstatic” about the news.
“We’ve been fighting this campaign for a year and a half, and we’re glad they finally put a halt to this disastrous program,” he told CBC News. “It’s time to talk about the future of Canada Post, about restoring service to those who have lost it, and about having a public mandate review of Canada Post so we can look at alternatives to these cuts.”
Palecek said Canada Post should be looking at expanding services, such as having banking and financial services in post offices. He said it appears that the incoming Liberal government is following up on an election campaign promise.
The Liberals pledged an immediate moratorium on the cuts and to carry out a study.
