by Timothy Edward, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

The federal government has given Canada Post the go-ahead to end regular home mail delivery in order to ensure the survival of the crown corporation. Non-urgent mail can shift to ground rather than air transportation, increasing delivery time from 3 to 4 days to 3 to 7 days, and the four million addresses across Canada that still receive home delivery can be converted to community mailboxes. Approximately three quarters of Canadians already receive mail by community mailbox.

Today’s move towards modernization was made amid stalled contract negotiations, with Canada Post on track to lose $1.5-billion this year.

Joël Lightbound, the minister responsible for Canada Post, said that the corporation is effectively unsustainable. “Canada Post is effectively insolvent, and repeated bailouts are not a long-term solution,” he said.