Public Services and Procurement Canada polled businesses on mail service reductions, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. .“Support is lower for reducing the frequency of delivery (51%) and there is more opposition than support for reducing the number of post offices and increasing the price of stamps,” said the report for Public Services and Procurement Canada. .“When it comes to reducing Canada Post’s financial losses, more businesses than not believe that Canada Post should be supported by the federal government to maintain their current service offering in addition to directly subsidizing the more costly and less profitable postal services in rural and remote communities.”.Business operators are among the heaviest users of post offices in Canada. Almost all businesses send and receive mail from Canada Post. .Canada Post reported a pre-tax loss of $490 million in 2021. It last showed a profit in 2017..The poll said most businesses agree Canada Post continues to be an important essential service. It said almost three-quarters of businesses support replacing corporate post offices with franchises in grocery stores or pharmacies. .Three-quarters of respondents support ending door-to-door home delivery and replacing it with community mailboxes. There were 51% of them who supported reducing mail delivery from each business day to every second day. .“Approximately half of businesses agree Canada Post should be allowed to deliver less frequently to reduce costs (57%) or that Canadians should shoulder the same cost for parcel delivery regardless of the distance (52%),” said researchers. .The poll said 41% supported an increase in stamp rates. It added 61% oppose cutting the number of post offices. .Findings were based on questionnaires with 1,102 business operators. Public Services and Procurement Canada paid Earnscliffe Strategy Group $137,723 for the report..Federal regulators released polls on November 1 about support among Canadians for potential postal service cuts and a 36% increase in stamp rates. .READ MORE: Canadians polled about mail cuts, stamp hikes.“This research is intended to capture the views of Canadians about the mail and their current expectations of Canada Post especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and Canada Post’s ongoing financial losses in order to ensure the evolution of this important public institution reflects their understanding of quality service that Canadians can afford,” said the report for Public Services and Procurement Canada. .The report said two-thirds of Canadians agreed Canada Post should be allowed to deliver letters less often than five days a week to reduce costs. It said 56% of people are fine with paying $1.25 or more for a stamp.
