Canada Post pauses deliveries in 2 blocks of Downtown Eastside due to 'health and safety concerns'

Canada Post has temporarily suspended mail delivery in two blocks of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside due to "health and safety concerns" raised by staff.

Mail hasn't been delivered in the 0 and 100 blocks of East Hastings Street since March 23, the corporation confirmed in a statement Wednesday.

"We are working to resolve this issue as quickly as possible and find a long-term solution that will ensure the well-being of our employees," wrote spokesperson Valerie Chartrand.

Chartrand did not elaborate on the nature of the safety concerns, but said it was Canada Post's "responsibility to ensure that our employees, who visit hundreds of addresses every day, can deliver mail and parcels safely."

In a separate email shared with CBC, a different Canada Post employee told one customer deliveries had stopped around mid-March because staff had faced "verbal assaults and drug use."

The community has long grappled with overlapping social issues, including homelessness, poverty, and the ongoing toxic drug crisis.

The 0 and 100 blocks of East Hastings Street cover the area between Carrall Street and Main Street.

"When there is a situation at a delivery location that is unsafe for our employees, we work with the customer or property management to resolve the issue and resume regular service as soon as possible," Chartrand said.

Until then, affected customers have been notified and their mail is available to be picked up at a Canada Post facility at 333 Woodland Dr. The facility is open 10 a.m.-2 p.m. PT from Monday to Friday and residents must provide government-issued identification, according to the corporation.

Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart also released a statement, saying the city is working to help the Downtown Eastside's vulnerable residents and with Canada Post to ensure mail delivery continues.