Advertisement

Canada Post explains why letters were delivered — that said mail can't be delivered

Canada Post says it all comes down to road conditions when the postal carrier decides whether or not to deliver to a particular area.

On Wednesday, William Pryse-Philips told CBC News he received a letter in the mail from Canada Post telling him the area around his property in St. John's was too dangerous to deliver mail.

"The letter, however, was delivered by hand… I found that rather ironic," he said at the time.

But Cherry Casey, superintendent of collection and delivery with Canada Post, told CBC on Thursday, that it isn't just the condition of individual driveways that has to be considered.

"The issue was with the road conditions ... particularly for the walking routes, they're parking their vehicles and they [the postal carriers] could be walking for 45 minutes to an hour in multiple areas," she told CBC Radio's St John's Morning Show.

Mike Moore/CBC
Mike Moore/CBC

Pryse-Philips' letter was delivered by hand, but Casey says it took two supervisors — one driving and one making the drop offs. From there, a union managed safety committee makes the call on whether or not the area is safe enough to deliver mail on foot.

Mail delivery suspension is situational, according to Casey.

She said the area of Garrison Hill was suspended for mail delivery on Wednesday due to its road conditions, while much of the Georgestown neighbourhood has recently been reinstated and Rennies Mill Road will be assessed on Thursday.

Jeremy Eaton/CBC
Jeremy Eaton/CBC

Canada Post relies on information from its employees when monitoring potentially hazardous areas for mail delivery, Casey said.

"Due to the conditions of the roads and the lack of snow clearing, it is not safe for our delivery employee to walk out in the road," reads the letter sent to Pryse-Philips.

"We are monitoring the situation and will resume your delivery service as soon as it is safe to do so."

Read more articles from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador