Canada Post quietly stopped delivering packages directly to local businesses in January, frustrating at least one storeowner who relied on the door-to-door service.
According to Canada Post, it did not renew a contract it had with a local contractor who previously picked up signature-required items at the post office before delivering them to their final destination in town.
Canada Post confirmed the contract expired Dec. 31, 2015.
鈥淎ll parcels, regardless of the shipping company, that don鈥檛 fit in the mailbox are carded for pick-up at the post office counter,鈥� wrote Phil Legault, manager of media relations for Canada Post, in an email.
鈥淲e formerly had a contract for delivery of signature-required items to the door, but now those are also carded for pickup, which is consistent with our service standards.鈥�
Like many rural communities across Canada, Jasper does not have mail delivery to the door. Instead, residents use post office boxes or general delivery to pick up their mail at the post office counter.
The changes mean any packages that are handled by Canada Post, such as FedEx packages, will no longer reach their final destination in town and will have to be picked up in person at the post office.
FedEx confirmed its packages would be affected by the changes.
鈥淐hanges in delivery service made by Canada Post would ultimately affect the delivery of FedEx Ground packages as well,鈥� wrote Meredith Heighington Miller, manager of public relations for FedEx ground operations, in an email.
Karen Jacobs, owner of Mountain Air, said she was never informed that door-to-door service would be eliminated.
鈥淎 lot of our vendors when they charge us freight it鈥檚 to be delivered to the door,鈥� said Jacobs.
鈥淎s a business owner you鈥檙e used to having everything delivered to your door so that extra step of going to the post office is a pain in the butt.鈥�
She said it sometimes takes her an hour to pick up her packages and when the post office is closed there鈥檚 nothing she can do.
鈥淚n the summer we鈥檙e generally open from nine in the morning until 10 at night, so delivery is never an issue, it鈥檚 just actually getting the time in your day to go to the post office,鈥� she said.
Pattie Pavlov, general manager of the Jasper Park Chamber of Commerce, said she was aware of the situation and was in touch with various parties to get more information.
Pure Outdoors, a local store in town, accepts Purolator and UPS items and聽 said both shipping companies try to deliver items directly to their customers before dropping them off at the store if no one is home.
Paul Clarke
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