Canada Post has been ordered by the government to develop a plan that will restore mail delivery to approximately 5,000 rural homes that have lost service because of health and safety concerns among mail delivery workers.
On Dec. 13, transport minister Lawrence Cannon, minister in charge of the post office, ordered the corporation to develop a plan to restore service to all rural roadside mailboxes within 18 months.
He had been under pressure from rural MPs in all parties to act. In recent years in several provinces, mail delivery has been suspended because carriers felt it was unsafe.
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“I expect that Canada Post will do its utmost to restore and maintain mail delivery to rural roadside mailboxes while taking into consideration the health and safety of their employees and respecting all applicable laws,” Cannon said in his announcement.
The union representing 6,300 rural mail carriers applauded the announcement.
Deborah Bourque from the Canadian Union of Postal Workers said the union has been urging the corporation to create conditions that allow mail delivery while protecting the rights of employees.
She said part of the problem is that because of the dangers of vehicle accidents on rural roads, mail delivery employees are not allowed to get out of their cars to put mail into mailboxes and so must lean through the passenger side window to reach the mailboxes, which causes strain injuries.
There have been accidents as mail carriers park their cars on the side of the road beside mail boxes too close to the road. Canada Post has added reflectors and flashing lights to many cars but employees say the danger continues.
In recent years, many carriers have refused to service 5,000 mailboxes they consider particularly unsafe.
Bourque said the union is happy that the government has intervened.
“We certainly support the reinstatement of rural mail delivery and we appreciate that the minister has said it must be done while respecting the health and safety of employees,” she said. “These problems can be fixed and conditions made safe. It just takes the will to do it.”
