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RDOS board look for answers to postal service reductions

The regional distict board discussed Canada Post service levels at the April 18 regular board meeting.

The  regional distict board discussed Canada Post service levels at the April 18 regular board meeting.

RDOS staff were directed by the board  to send a letter to Canada Post in January of this year, inquiring about possible reductions in service levels after learning about a mail sorting change implemented by Canada Post.

The change now sees mail destined for delivery between communities in the South Okanagan and Similkameen shipped to Vancouver for sorting rather than Kelowna. The move adds a considerable delay to mail moving between regional district communities.

The board subsequently recieved a letter from Jacques Bellerive, Canada Post Director of Operations for B.C. and Yukon, who cited significant losses from steadily decreasing volumes of letter mail as the reason behind the service changes. He also noted that the move helped to optimize operating capacity of sorting equipment in Vancouver.

More recently, the board received a letter from BC Southern Interior MP Alex Atamanenko, expressing concern about declining service levels. He also enclosed a proposed draft resolution for the board’s consideration.

The resolution instructed Steven Fletcher, Minister responsible for Canada Post, to:

- keep post offices in the regional district open.

- consult with the public, their elected representatives, postal unions and other major stakeholders to dramatically improve the Canadian  Postal Service Charter, including developing a better process for making changes to the retail and delivery network.

The board opted to accept the letter from Atamanenko and extend an invitation to Penticton MP Dan Albas to stop by and discuss the postal issue, amongst other things.

A decision on  Atamanenko’s motion will be tabled until after that meeting.