September 25, 2025 — Toronto — CARP (the Canadian Association of Retired Persons) calls on the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) and Canada Post to return to the table immediately and negotiate a fair, modern agreement that protects reliable national service while ensuring practical solutions for Canadians who cannot safely access community mailboxes.
Today’s developments — a nationwide postal strike following Ottawa’s decision to accept recommendations that phase out most door-to-door letter delivery over the next decade and expand community mailboxes — mark a pivotal shift in how Canadians will receive mail and parcels. Multiple outlets report the federal plan will end door-to-door for nearly all households, slow standard letter delivery to an average of 3–7 days, and allow Canada Post to close or convert some post offices to stabilize its finances.
CARP’s position
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We support a truly national postal service — one that is financially sustainable and reliable in every region of Canada. We understand the need for change as letter volumes decline and delivery patterns evolve.
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We are not advocating for a return to daily door-to-door delivery or defending the status quo for the minority of households that still have it. The model must adapt.
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We insist on equitable access for older Canadians and others with mobility, disability, or health challenges. Where community mailboxes are the only option, accessible alternatives must be available and easy to obtain. Canada Post already operates a Delivery Accommodation Program for customers with functional limitations; it must be strengthened and publicized as service changes roll out.
What CARP is asking for — now
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End the work stoppage quickly through good-faith bargaining. Canadians — especially seniors awaiting benefits, prescriptions, and time-sensitive documents — bear the first and worst impacts of a shutdown.
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Guarantee robust delivery accommodations for people who cannot safely access community mailboxes, including: door-delivery accommodations, safe-weather alternatives, snow/ice clearance standards, and easy self-serve and assisted enrollment channels (online, phone, and in-person).
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Protect essential items (medications, government cheques/benefits, and medical equipment) with priority handling and contingency service during labour disruptions.
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Flexible pick-up and proxy options at no extra cost for those with mobility barriers (e.g., authorized helper pick-ups, free PO boxes where no accessible CMB solution is viable).
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Transparent timelines and local consultation before any conversion, including rural, northern, and Indigenous communities, where alternatives may be limited and distances are greater.
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Public reporting on accessibility performance, including response times for accommodation requests, winter maintenance at CMB sites, and complaint resolution.
Message to the government and Canada Post and Postal Workers
Modernization cannot leave people behind. As Ottawa and Canada Post implement service changes, accessibility supports must move from “available if you find them” to automatic, proactive, and well-communicated — especially where door-to-door service ends. The Delivery Accommodation Program should be expanded, simplified, and audited with public metrics.
Seniors will not be used as a wedge in this dispute. CARP respects the vital role postal workers play in connecting communities and supports fair bargaining. We urge CUPW to end job action and work with Canada Post to deliver a modern service model that meets the needs of the vast majority — while protecting dignity and safe access for those who need accommodations most.
Media Contact: media@carp.ca
