MP FEEDBACK FORM Arif Virani, Parkdale-High Park
MP Name:Arif ViraniDate of Town Hall:Monday, August 22, 2016
Riding: Parkdale-High Park
Location: Annette Public Library, 145 Annette Street, Toronto, ON, M6P 1P3
Moderator: Arif Virani, MPNote Taker:Elizabeth Robertson
No. of Attendees:25No. Of Feedback Cards Collected: 17
This report, compiled by Elizabeth Robertson, Assistant to Arif Virani, MP, is a summary of points raised by participants in the meeting, and is not a verbatim transcript.
The Government of Canada is conducting an independent review of Canada Post to ensure Canadians receive quality services at a reasonable price.Questions
We want to talk about the Canada Post services you value and need.
We want to know:
- What do you hope the Canada Post Review achieves?
- How do you anticipate using Canada Post services in the future?
- What type of mail delivery service do you presently have and what do you like about it?
- What matters to you mostwhen using Canada Post (i.e. speed, cost, frequency, reliability, other)?
- How often do you use Canada Post to receive and pay your bills, send letter or gifts, receive online orders?
Participants
Invitees included:
Key stakeholders National organizations Community leaders Local officials
Union members
Overview
Common themes of the discussion included: (Please check all that may apply)
Maintaining door-to door delivery Restoring door-to-door delivery Service to first nations
Greening postal services Postal banking Job creation with home delivery
☐Other (Please specify)______
Recommendations from participants:
QUESTION 1:
What do you hope the Canada Post Review achieves?
Residents indicated they want our community to have a voice on how our national postal service should be run. The overall goal is that the Canada Post review respects postal workers as valuable members of our community in Parkdale-High Park and findsa way to work together to solve the growing concerns regarding the lack of funding for Canada Post and how we can enhance Canada Post services in the future.
QUESTION 2:
How do you anticipate using Canada Post services in the future?
Residents hope Canada Post will make several changes that meet with expected uses for Canada Post in the future.
Banking: Residents noted banking used to be done at postal offices in Canada, and there is still the statutory ability to do so. Attendees indicated they would like to see the reintroduction of postal banking.The group also felt the need for postal banking as a way to push out predatory payday lenders from our community in Parkdale-High Park. Moreover, on the topic of banking, the current bank fees provided by the big five banks are unattainable for members of our community. For example, attendees stated that a bank draft may cost up to $15.00 dollar at a major bank. It would be easier to ship documents and obtain less costly Money Orders from a federal post office. Finally, postal banking could be a competitive and affordable option for small businesses that require micro financing.
Mail Delivery: Residents see the need for more mail delivery in the future, not less. The group was unanimous in their support of continuing door-to-door delivery, and restoring it in places where it once existed. Residents noted that community mailboxes do not serve the needs of persons with disabilities, nor do they serve the needs of seniors. Attendees asked for an expansion of the delivery schedule (including Saturdays and Sundays) to stimulate the creation of local jobs in our community. Furthermore, the idea was raised that mail carriers could also pick up outgoing mail from residents—this would be a valuable service particularly for residents with mobility challenges. A concern was expressed that newly arrived refugees may not understand the community mailboxes and they might miss important notices if they do not receive door to door delivery. Lastly, one attendee suggested that saving door to door delivery is critical, and that this should be done even if it means daily delivery of mail is not possible, but instead that mail arrives 2-3 times per week.
Many did not feel comfortable about receiving communications from the government from a privatized version of Canada Post and wanted to continue to receive mail delivered by public servants. Attendees indicated that hard copy mail is still the most secure, still the preferred route for the Canada Revenue Agency, and not subject to viruses and hacking in the same manner as computer/web communications.
Attendees raised the point that continued/expanded use of hard copy letter mail has a benefit for Canadians—particularly young people—in terms of encouraging letter writing skills and penmanship (a dying art).
Post office services—Internet: Attendees looked to the potential expansion of post office services, including providing computer services such as an Internet kiosk for public use (noting most communities have a post office, although not all have a public library). In Canada, residents indicated the goal should be nationwide access to the Internet, which postal internet services could help address. Overall, the idea would be to move postal offices toward becoming more of a community resource/hub (to counter the recent sale of Canada Post buildings to developers for private use).
Regarding the internet, residents also mentioned that the CRTC regulates companies like Bell Canada and that Canada Post should have a similar agreement with another federal oversight agency.
Attendees also suggested that Post offices could have different types advertising within their locations as patrons are waiting in line.
Environmentally Friendly: Walking routes for mail carriers are green by definition. Furthermore, it was mentioned that Canada Post is already greener than private delivery companies, as Canada Post does not leave their vehicles idling. The whole fleet should be electric in the future.
QUESTION 3:
What type of mail delivery service do you presently have and what do you like about it?
Residents indicated that there is a personal connection with those who deliver the mail. They recommended that government hire postal workers who will be there to serve theirneighbourhoods with pride, as members of the community.As an example of community involvement, guests noted that Canada Post replies, through a massive unpaid volunteer effort, to every Santa Claus letter they receive during the holidays from across the country, and around the world.
Attendees indicated we are all the shareholders of Canada Post, and we have the right to keep it public.
QUESTION 4:
What matters to you mostwhen using Canada Post (i.e. speed, cost, frequency, reliability, other)?
The group of residents noted that speed, cost, frequency and reliability are all important factors.
There were many concerns expressed about the price of postage, which has now limited people’s ability to pay bills by mail. The goal of lower postage stamp was raised, with attendees noting that currently residential Canadian customers pay about $1.00 per stamp, while those using Pitney Bowes meter has a standard Letter mail rate of 77¢ (0-30g).
In addition, the complex model of pricing within each postal code creates barriers for small business to create predictable pricing for their customers—business owners noted that countries like Australia and the USA offer flat rates around the country, whereas Canada Post does not, it sets its pricing based on the frequency of mail in a given postal code (e.g. a package shipped within Edmonton is a different price than being sent within Toronto)In addition,it was noted that the same package can range from $3.33 to $25.00 within a same postal route if the only difference is the way it is package or folded. As a result, it is far cheaper to have items shipped from the USA to Canada, rather than within Canada. Also, small businesses cannot compete with the bulk mailing rates provided by Canada Post to large American retailers, like Amazon—Canada Post needs to reconsider its pricing mechanisms, to help support and promote Canadian small business.
Attendees also noted the failure of the E-Post service as many companies opted out of this program and it is unclear why the rollout was not successful—this topic should be revisited, as a revised program could assist small businesses.
Reliability of mail delivery was a particular concern in apartment buildings, especially in Toronto Community Housing buildings were mail is sometimes left on the floor.In addition, many people still do not feel comfortable donating online and prefer charities send letters requesting donations, and prefer to respond by mailing a cheque back. A reliable postal service would assist charitable fundraising.
Speed: Calls were made for the return of in town mail sorting; currently mail within cities is being sent outside the city to be sorted and then resent back to the same municipality, which causes unnecessary delays.
QUESTION 5:
How often do you use Canada Post to receive and pay your bills, send letters or gifts, receive online orders?
Many residents responded that the very high cost of stamps has now priced them out from sending regular letters or gifts. Most prefer to use Canada Post for holiday cards, but are even finding that expensive compared to years past. Many residents are ordering online however, they are using American shipping because of the lower flat rate versus domestic shipping that costs more (see response to Question 4 above).
DISCUSSION/COMMENTS
- Replace the current directors and management of Canada Post Corporation with those that view Canada Post as a true public service, dedicated to the public good.
- Overall, Canada Post needs to stop focusing on productivity and focus on customer service.
- Outright calls were made for the current CEO of Canada Post Corporation to be removed, together with the “five-point plan” for the corporation.
- Ensure that Canada Post is honest with operational costs, andfactually presents profits and loss amounts to all stakeholders.
- Return postal services under proper federal government control.
- Attendees voiced concerns about the stability of pensions for current Canada Post employees and the adverse impact on such pensions posed by the potential of privatization of Canada Post.
- A number of residents expressed concerns about the Trans Pacific Partnership Trade Agreement, and how its finalization and implementation would impact small businesses who are already struggling to compete with large American entities that benefit from preferential Canada Post rates.
- A specific requestwas madethat 100 High Park Avenue in Toronto receive quality residential and commercial delivery.
1