It’ll cost you more to send a letter or package this year. Canada Post increased postage rates in January in an effort to increase revenue in an age where more people are relying on the Internet to communicate and pay their bills. Additionally, Canada Post has announced plans to phase out of urban door-to-door mail delivery starting March 31, 2014. With so many changes afoot, here’s a guide to help you keep it sorted.
The Lowdown on the Rate Increase
- Standard first-class letter postage will increase 22 cents to $0.85 if the stamps are bought in booklets or coils
- A single standard first-class letter postage stamp will be $1.00
- Domestic shipping rates will increase 3.2%
- International shipping rates will increase 3.1%
- Packages that weigh over 3kg will have a lower average postage increase
Increase to Light Packet™ Service
Light Packet™ Service is an economical option for customers to send small parcels up to 500 grams to U.S. and international destinations. While rates for the service will increase, Canada Post is also increasing the maximum allowable weight for the first tier of pricing from 100 grams to 150 grams. You can now ship a parcel weighing up to 150 grams to the US or internationally for $3.79/$6.51 respectively. Prices for Light Packet shipping range from $3.79 to $10.66 to US destinations and $6.51 to $19.12 to international destinations.
From Door-to-Door to Community Mailboxes
One of the biggest changes announced by Canada Post is the phase put of urban door-to-door mail delivery in favor of community mailboxes. Instead of mail being delivered to the door, urban dwellers will walk or drive to a community mailbox, where their mail and parcels are stored in a personal locked mailbox. Community mailboxes are standard in many newer housing developments. Canada Post expects the conversion process to take about 5 years, and will announce the first round of urban areas for conversion in the middle of 2014.
Save Money on Shipping
If you’re sending packages, compare prices with Canada Post, UPS, DHL and FedEx to get the best deal. However, if you’re sending letters, greeting cards or bills, save money by buying your stamps by the booklet.
Canada Post suspended sales of the Permanent™ or “P” stamp until the new prices take effect in March. Until then, standard first-class letter postage will be 65 cents.
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