Skeena- Bulkley Valley MP Taylor Bachrach is calling on Canada Post officials to address the steady decline in the number of post offices across the country.
MP Bachrach’s questioning took place in Ottawa on April 8, when the parliament kicked off hearings on the loss of rural postal service in Canada.
“When I fought alongside communities to save post offices in our region, I saw how broken this government’s approach to rural postal service is,” said Bachrach in an April 9 statement.
“If Canada Post’s rural model isn’t fixed, I’m concerned more communities will have to go through those same struggles.”
Bachrach questioned officials from Canada Post and Public Services and Procurement Canada on the closure of 600 post offices since 1994, exorbitant shipping costs to remote communities and poor compensation for rural postmasters. Post offices were affected after the the 1994 moratorium on closing rural post offices came into effect, the NDP MP’s statement read.
“Under this Liberal government, despite the moratorium, we’re continuing to see the steady erosion of postal service across rural Canada,” said Bachrach.
”Residents in our region want properly staffed, accessible post offices — not steel boxes on the side of the road. Fixing Canada Post’s model for rural services is the least this government can do to respect rural and remote communities.”