FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 12, 2015
Save Door-to-Door delivery and Stop Community Mailboxes: Open Letter to GTA Mayors
Toronto, ON: CARP released an open letter calling on Mayors and City Councillors in the GTA to stop Canada`s Post plans to end home delivery and erect community mailboxes.
Canada Post is building community mailboxes on city-owned land, and city mayors and councillors have a responsibility to address their residents` concerns and stop Canada Post’s cessation of home delivery. CARP sent an open letter [below] calling on Mayors and City Councillors across the GTA to ensure that they take this opportunity to ensure that their residents` concerns are addressed.
CARP has opposed from the start Canada Post’s cessation of home mail delivery. CARP members across Canada are concerned about the effect the changes would have on the well-being and independence of older Canadians and people with disabilities and mobility challenges.
“Mayors in many cities are making this issue a priority and it is time that the mayors and city councils of GTA do the same. The City of Hamilton is demanding greater local input and Montreal area mayors are pushing for a moratorium on the community mailbox plan. CARP members are expecting the same leadership and representation of the GTA mayors to guard their shared values and public services.” Susan Eng, VP of Advocacy
Nearly half of CARP members said that they or someone they know will suffer hardship as a result of Canada Post’s decision to end door-to-door delivery, according to the CARP PollTM.
CARP met with Canada Post CEO Deepak Chopra in January 2014, shortly after the end of door-to-door mail delivery was announced. CARP expressed concerns over how the change will be detrimental to older Canadians and people with disabilities and mobility challenges. Mr. Chopra wrote a letter to CARP members in response, offering no solutions and stating that the decision will not be reversed.
Many Canadians value door-to-door mail delivery as an essential service, providing value especially to home-bound individuals, to whom the letter carrier may be the only point of human contact for some days. Canada Post’s proposal to offer exemptions to people who reveal their medical conditions and history is no solution at all.
CARP has 100,000 members within the Greater Toronto Area.
CARP is a national, non-partisan, non-profit organization committed to advocating for a New Vision of Aging for Canada, social change that will bring financial security, equitable access to health care and freedom from discrimination. CARP seeks to ensure that the marketplace serves the needs and expectations of our generation and provides value-added benefits, products and services to our members. Through our network of chapters across Canada, CARP is dedicated to building a sense of community and shared values among our members in support of CARP’s mission.
For further information, please contact:
Sarah Park 416.607.2471
Director, Communications
[email protected]
Michael Nicin 416.607.2479
Director of Policy
[email protected]
Anna Sotnykova 416.607.2475
Media & Communications Coordinator
[email protected]
CARP, A New Vision of Aging for Canada
or visit our website: www.carp.ca
Follow @CARPAdvocacy on Twitter: Click here and add us!
June 12, 2015
Dear GTA Mayors and City Councils,
CARP is calling on you to push for a moratorium on Canada Post’s plan to build community mail boxes in place of door-to-door delivery. Community mailboxes are being built on city-owned land, and as city mayors and councilors, you will want to ensure that your resident’s concerns are addressed.
CARP has opposed from the start Canada Post’s cessation of home mail delivery. CARP members in your cities are concerned about the effect the changes would have on the well-being and independence of older Canadians and people with disabilities and mobility challenges.
Door-to-door mail delivery is essential for many Canadians and provides added value, especially to home-bound individuals, to whom the letter carrier may be the only point of human contact for some days. Our members are concerned that the widespread objections to the cessation have not been heard or addressed by Canada Post and municipalities.
Some cities across Canada have taken action and are standing against Canada Post’s plans. The City of Hamilton is arguing for greater local input in determining the site of each community mailbox. Montreal area mayors are also voicing residents’ concerns and pushing for a moratorium on the community mailbox plan. CARP is calling on you to join your fellow mayors and councilors to take action against the cessation of home mail delivery.
CARP is a national, non-profit, non-partisan organization committed to improving the quality of life of all Canadians as we age with 300,000 members across Canada and 60 local chapters. Through our network of chapters across Canada, including those in the GTA, CARP is dedicated to building a sense of community and shared values among our members in support of CARP’s mission.
We will look forward to hearing from you and working with you to oppose Canada Posts’ cessation of home delivery. As a follow up, we will also be putting you in touch with the chairs of our local chapters in your respective cities who would be please to work with you.
Sincerely,
Susan Eng, VP Advocacy
