OTTAWA — Canadians should brace for longer waits on letter mail as the federal government moves ahead with sweeping changes to Canada Post. Public Works and Procurement Minister Joël Lightbound announced Thursday that door-to-door delivery will be reduced, meaning it could take up to seven days for a letter to arrive — three days longer than the current average.
The decision follows the recommendations of the Industrial Inquiry Commission, whose report the government has accepted in full. Alongside reduced delivery frequency, Canadians can expect to see more community mailboxes installed across the country.
Other recommendations include changes to the Crown corporation’s collective agreement, allowing Canada Post to hire part-time workers on weekends to ease weekday demand.
The government says shrinking letter mail volumes and Canada Post’s modest share of the parcel market are straining the corporation’s finances. Officials argue the new measures are essential to keep the service sustainable while ensuring it remains reliable in the long term.
The shift marks a significant adjustment for Canadians accustomed to faster service, but Ottawa maintains that modernizing how mail is delivered is the only way to keep the postal system viable in an era of declining mail use and growing competition in parcel delivery.