Most Canadians want to keep Canada Post in public hands but are open to big changes in how the Crown corporation operates, according to new polling released by the Angus Reid Institute.The findings come amid ongoing labour disputes with the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, following a series of rotating strikes in 2018, a nationwide strike last November, and unresolved conflict that awaits a union vote.The poll shows 59% of respondents oppose privatizing Canada Post entirely, compared to 26% who support it. Opposition to partial privatization also outweighs support, 47% to 38%. In total, 64% of Canadians say it is important to them that the postal service remain publicly owned.Despite that sentiment, many Canadians are open to significant reforms. About 72% support reducing mail delivery to three days a week. Half say Canada Post should be allowed to use non-union gig workers if it means better service and lower costs, and another 72% support expanding into new services like banking or parcel lockers.The report highlights the challenges facing Canada Post in an evolving delivery market dominated by Amazon and other major retailers with their own logistics networks. Still, nearly half of Canadians (46%) say Canada Post remains important for receiving mail, with younger Canadians under 35 more likely to rely on it—likely due to their online shopping habits.Even with annual losses averaging $800 million over the past two years, Canadians are more than twice as likely to say it is worth spending the approximate $20 per person to sustain Canada Post than to cut it loose or privatize it.While Canadians appear willing to tolerate the current financial burden, Canada Post has expressed frustration with outdated regulations and declining mail volumes, which it says restrict its ability to compete and become profitable.
