Canada Post must adapt to a modern world, the corporation’s president and CEO said Wednesday.
In an open letter to Canadians, Doug Ettinger said he supports the measures announced last week by the federal government.
The letter comes in the middle of another strike by postal workers across the country.
Ettinger said a lot has changed in terms of how people use the postal service since it became a Crown corporation more than 40 years ago.
“Mail has been in decline since 2006,” he said. “Each year, Canada Post delivers fewer letters to a growing number of households. This means mail revenues are decreasing while costs are rising.”
Ettinger said when Canada Post loses money, it’s taxpayers who must pay the bill.
“A bill which currently amounts to about $1 billion a year,” he said. “That is not sustainable, nor is it necessary.”
Ettinger said there are practical changes that can be made to modernize the postal service and make it financially sustainable.
He listed switching from door-to-door delivery to the community mailbox model, updating the retail network, and reducing staff numbers as some of the ways Canada Post can reduce its costs.
“Canadians have been changing the way they use the postal service, and we must change with them,” he said.
He said management also remains committed to reaching negotiated agreements with striking postal workers.
“It’s vital these agreements reflect our financial reality and support the changes we need to make,” he said, adding they must help Canada Post reduce reliance on taxpayer funding.
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