Ottawa- Larry Miller, MP for Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound is once again taking Canada Post to task over their lack of service to rural residents. With the Rural Mail Safety Review still a fresh issue in parts of the riding and across Canada, along comes the latest ‘non-service’ from Canada Post.
Canada Post, in partnership with affected municipalities across Canada, is implementing standardized mailing address systems that use the 911 or civic address in the official mailing address. It is Canada Post’s opinion that this will ensure the accurate and efficient delivery of the mail.
“I have no doubt this statement is true, but does the change to the address format have to be handled the way Canada Post is handling it?” said Miller, “Canada Post needs to continue to give good service to its customers during the updating process”.
Currently Canada Post is giving its rural customers a one year window to inform all of their contacts of their new address format including their 911 number, however they intend to return any mail after that timeline.
“Its frustrating when someone hasn’t moved in 39 years and yet their mail is getting returned ‘wrong address’ to the sender and I don’t blame them one bit for being upset,” said Miller.
Miller feels that the change could be made more gradually, starting with those moving and setting up a new address with their contacts to include the 911 number and a reminder on improperly addressed pieces of mail for the receiver to contact the sender with their updated coordinates for a period longer than one year.
“When a former CEO of Canada Post (Michael Warren) voices his opinion that Canada Post should be privatized, that should tell us something!” suggested Miller.
