Mayor Watson: Say 'No' to Canada Post Community Mailboxes Now

Dear Mayor Watson:

The members of the Federation have directed me to again write on their behalf. As you may recall, I wrote on January 20 requesting City Council ask Canada Post to:

• halt the elimination of door-to-door delivery until concerns are addressed through meaningful consultations with municipalities and affected residents before implementation of the plan;
• give assurance not to download the costs and maintenance of the community mailboxes onto municipalities without proper consultation and compensation;

Canada Post has not placed its plan on pause. The implementation of Community Mailboxes (CMBs) across Canada by Canada Post, without full and meaningful consultation, is a slap in the face to the citizens who live and/or pay taxes in the affected communities. All citizens - whether residing in Ottawa or in municipalities across the country - deserve to be treated with fairness and respect by the federal institutions that provide us with services. The actions being taken by Canada Post to implement CMBs are anything but fair, transparent or respectful. Consultation with neighbourhoods has been rare and hard to arrange.

Ottawa is a diverse city with many neighbourhoods being mature and urban, without the benefit of large, under-used spaces to accommodate CMBs. Accompanying traffic, litter, crime and noise will be a burden to adjacent property owner or nearby resident. CMB’s will lower property value and quality of life.

Reported experience of some of our members suggest any placement will be contentious and divisive. Worse though is that Canada Post proceeding with no consultation and minimal information for the affected neighbourhoods. We know that these CMBs will impose undue hardships on seniors or those with disabilities, especially in our harsh winters. There will also be additional municipal cost burdens to provide for lighting, litter and snow removal. Many questions remain unanswered regarding costs, security and accessibility.

Considering all of the negative impacts associated with this action by Canada Post, we call on you, our Mayor and Council to join close to 600 other Canadian municipalities and to officially oppose Canada Post’s plan for CMBs. Should a motion come before Council, know that our residents we represent want to see leadership from the City of Ottawa, Canada’s capital in fighting plan for CMBs.

Yours truly,

Graeme Roderick, President
Federation of Citizens' Associations of Ottawa

cc councillors
& Peter Eady