Delta is looking for answers from Canada Post.
Civic politicians endorsed a motion by Coun. Sylvia Bishop Monday to find out what kind of service residents can expect with the planned elimination of home mail delivery.
Canada Post announced in December it would be phasing out door-to-door delivery of regular mail to urban residents over the next five years, citing significant losses as a result of an increasing use of digital communication and a decline of letter mail volumes.
Residents who have enjoyed home delivery will have to pick up their mail at community mailboxes, already a fact of life for newer suburban developments.
Noting Delta's unique and varied geography of suburban as well as rural communities, Bishop said there are many questions that need answering, such as where community mailboxes will be located, how many mailboxes are planned and how will they be secured.
The first-term councillor originally wanted the municipality to send a letter to Canada Post, but agreed with Mayor Lois Jackson to amend the motion to have a government liaison to the Crown agency appear before Delta council to provide the answers. The mayor said there's no doubt the most impacted people in Delta will be seniors.
Coun. Bruce McDonald agreed, adding the biggest concern when it comes to community mailboxes has been how easily they seem to be broken into by thieves who are finding them an increasingly tempting target.
Over the holidays several news stories ran across the region about mailbox thefts. In Langley, for example, police warned the public to be on the lookout for identify theft, as well as watch their credit card and bank statements, after a rash of thefts there.
Canada Post CEO Deepak Chopra at an emergency session of the House of Commons transport committee last month said many welcome the idea of walking to a centralized neighbourhood mailbox. Canada Post currently delivers mail and parcels to roughly 15 million households and businesses. About five million still get doorto-door delivery.
Last year Canada Post made another unpopular cut locally when it closed the retail portion of the Ladner post office.
