At its regular meeting today, Vancouver City Council voted unanimously to ask Canada Post not to eliminate home mail delivery—the first G7 to make such a move—pending further consultation with communities across Canada (see video).
Our Committee was shocked to learn about Canada Post’s surprise decision to replace door-to-door delivery with community mailboxes. Aside from serious concerns about the security of these public mailboxes, we are at a loss to understand how older adults with health or mobility problems will be able to retrieve their mail if they must walk several blocks in the rain, on ice-covered sidewalks, or along busy streets. Contrary to Canada Post’s insistence that seniors will welcome the exercise from getting their mail, this will pose a serious safety hazard and therefore prevent seniors from retrieving important mail (e.g., pension cheques).
We are dismayed by those who think that this is not a serious issue, and that older adults with mobility or health problems are already well looked after by family members or formal caregivers. Many people fail to understand that older adults often live in abject isolation and do not receive help from others. Even those who do receive help may not be willing to entrust others with their mail (e.g., giving their mailbox keys to paid caregivers).
The Seniors Advisory Committee is happy that Council has drawn attention to this important issue and we will offer whatever help we can as staff investigates the specific ways in which this these cuts will affect older adults.
