Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates

Comité permanent des opérations gouvernementales et des prévisions budgétaires

For immediate release

Ottawa, September 29, 2016 -

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates began a study on the future of the Canada Post Corporation on September 20, 2016, and is holding cross-Canada consultations on the subject. From October 17 to 21, 2016, the Committee will hold public hearings in the following communities on the dates indicated:

October 17, 2016

Surrey, British Columbia

October 18, 2016

Edmonton, Alberta

Calgary, Alberta

October 19, 2016

Yellowknife, Northwest Territories

October 20, 2016

Regina, Saskatchewan

Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan

October 21, 2016

Winnipeg, Manitoba

For more information on the meeting venues and times, please consult the Committee’s website: http://www.parl.gc.ca/Committees/en/OGGO. Members of the public are invited to attend these hearings. Please note that witnesses (or observers) attending the meeting must clear security and provide photo identification before they can be granted access to the meeting room.

Canadians may participate in the Committee’s study through e-consultation. The e-consultation consists of an online questionnaire accessible from the Committee website from Monday, September 26 to Friday, October 21, 2016. Paper copies of the survey are also available upon request.

As part of its study, the Committee invites Canadians to share their opinions on the options that the Task Force on Canada Post, which was established by the Minister of Public Services and Procurement in May 2016, presented in its working paper entitled Canada Post in the Digital Age and any other topics related to the Canada Post Corporation. The study will result in a report to be presented in the House of Commons in December 2016.

The following options were examined by the Task Force on Canada Post:

• Community mailbox conversion;

• Converting 800 of the highest volume corporate post offices to franchise outlets;

• Alternate day delivery;

• Further streamlining processing operations;

• Pursuing further synergies with Purolator;

• Selling advertising in retail network;

• Additional “last mile” delivery for 3rd parties;

• Price based strategy;

• Review of labour and pension costs;

• Distribution of marijuana;

• Post offices as community hubs;

• Changes to Canada Post’s governance;

• Postal banking.