Canada Post plans to close Ladner post office
Ladner's post office may close unless residents there tell Canada Post they want it to stay open.
The federal crown corporation issued a notice Tuesday (Jan. 15) that the measure is being considered to help ensure the long-term sustainability of the company.
Canada Post said customers will still be served by two post offices within a five kilometre distance of the 48th Avenue and Delta Street location, with a retail outlet in the Pharmasave on Elliott Street and the Canadian Tire in Richmond.
The closure announcement came as a complete surprise to the employees working at the post office, according to the union which represents postal workers.
"These two employees have worked for Canada Post for 37 and 31 years, respectively, and both live in Ladner," said Stephen Gale, local president of of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers for Fraser Valley West.
"These two employees will be forced to relocate to either Richmond, Vancouver, North Surrey or Langley to maintain their employment with Canada Post."
Gale said the Pharmasave location does not adequately meet the services needs of Ladner residents, and that customers in South Delta requiring specialized postal services will now have to travel through the Massey Tunnel to Richmond.
Wendy O'Hara, a Tsawwassen resident visiting the Ladner post office on Thursday (Jan. 17), said she's not sure how much the post office is really used and wasn't sure whether it should be closed.
"If it saves money yes, but not at the expense of convenience, too," she said.
Most communication is done electronically now anyway, reducing the need for Canada Post, she added.
"Except for things like passports," she said, smiling as she held up her envelope.
Ladner resident Peter Cox, who was carrying a letter into the post office to get U.S. postage, didn't like the idea.
"It's maybe not that efficient but it's an integral part of the community," he said.
"It would be a shame, especially to the small town sensibility. In a big city it doesn't really matter where they put the post office."
A half dozen other people visited the post office over the next hour, but none wanted to venture an opinion on the record.
"It's a damn shame," suggested one woman, but hurried off before giving her name.
Canada Post is urging people to visit canadapost.ca/retail or write to Retail Feedback, 2701 Riverside Drive, Suite N1020C, Ottawa, Ont., K1 A 0B1, and offer their comments about the proposed closure.
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