Nova Scotian wants door-to-door delivery back, at least 3 days a week

A decision by the federal government to stop phasing out door-to-door mail delivery doesn't go far enough for at least one Halifax resident, who was hoping to have the service reinstated in her neighbourhood — at least three days a week.

The Liberals announced last week they were sticking with a 2015 election promise to "save home mail delivery" after the previous Conservative government converted approximately 5 million addresses to community mailboxes as a cost-saving measure.

The Liberals are not restoring door-to-door delivery to those who have already lost it, despite a pledge from the public services minister in December 2015 to do so.

Halifax resident Mary Jane Copps, who had to start using a community mailbox on St. Margaret's Bay Road in August 2015, said she was disappointed to learn the government would not be reversing the changes.

It would be "wonderful" if the government could "rewind this for us," she said.

Glitches with the service

Copps, who works from home and still receives cheques, some financial statements, tax papers and personal letters in the mail, said she has had trouble receiving packages at her community mailbox.

There are times, she said, when she arrives to find notes pasted all over the mailboxes from various residents saying: "I think you have my package."

At Christmas, she said, the key the mail carrier left for her to open a locker and retrieve her package didn't work.

Copps said she called Canada Post's customer service line twice, and had to wait about 30 minutes each time.

Eventually, she left a note for the mail carrier and the problem was fixed, she said.

Access is a problem

Although it's only a five-minute walk from her home to her community mailbox, Copps said it's a difficult trek for some of her elderly neighbours.

There used to be a place to park in front of the mailbox but new sidewalks were installed last year, she said, and now the only option for parking is a private lot.

Snow removal also doesn't always happen promptly, Copps said. After a big storm, it can take "days" before she and her neighbours can access the community mailbox again. 

On a positive note, Copps said she's learned "we don't need mail every day." And so she said she would like to see the government reinstate door-to-door delivery three days a week.

At the very least, she said, "the customer service element has to be changed somehow," so it's easier to flag problems with Canada Post and have them fixed.

Door-to-door a 'premium service'

The "vast majority" of Canadians don't have door-to-door service, said Mount Allison University President Robert Campbell, who chaired the federally appointed committee that reviewed Canada Post's mandate in 2008. 

He also pointed out that Canada Post will continue to install community mailboxes in all newly constructed communities, saying delivery at the door will likely become a "premium" service for Canada Post customers.

"You'll pay for it if you want it," he said.

Door-to-door service three days a week doesn't make much sense either, Campbell argued, because it would make the Canada Post system a slower and less-efficient option when compared to a private-courier service.

That would likely lead to less use of Canada Post overall. "There's a trade-off there," he said. 

For those who have mobility issues, Campbell said, Canada Post should create a kind of registry — something similar to the system set up for accessible parking passes — to allow for once-a-week home delivery for those who have trouble accessing their community mailboxes.