The federal government is expected soon to respond to Canada Post’s proposed cost-savings plan, which will “help determine the future of postal services across the country,” particularly affecting rural, remote, and northern communities. Dwayne Jones, president of the Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association, writes in an op-ed that rural post offices “do far more than deliver mail,” enabling local farmers, Indigenous creators, and small businesses to operate and connect with markets.

He warns that without mandatory consultation, closures or service reductions could “risk unintentionally cutting off access to services that communities depend on for health, economic activity, and connection to the rest of the country.”

Jones notes that rural delivery by CPAA members is “the lowest-cost delivery model in the network, averaging approximately $61 per address per year,” suggesting cuts would undermine access without improving finances.

“For residents of rural Canada, access to reliable postal services is not about convenience. It is about staying connected and participating fully in the country they call home. The government has the opportunity to modernize postal services in a way that strengthens, rather than diminishes, the connection between rural Canadians and the institutions that serve them,” he writes.