Cost Of Mail Now More Expensive In Canada
Posted January 12, 2009 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
There was a time when this would have been greeted with outrage and calls for government intervention. Instead, it’s passed almost unnoticed.
The price of stamps went up in Canada as of Monday, with a letter to anywhere in the country or the U.S. costing you 2 cents more. The new rate is 54 cents to Canadian destinations and 98 cents for regular sized U.S. mail.
Those sending normal letters overseas will now pay a nickel extra for the privilege, with an increase to $1.65.
The hikes come as part of a scheme approved last year that will see a two-cent stamp increase every year over the next three. By 2010, a letter in Canada will cost you 56 cents and two cents more than that by 2011.
The howls of protest these slight increases used to bring are more muted this time around. Many no longer rely on the post office like they once did, paying their bills on the computer and using email to send letters across the country and around the world.
But there are still things you can’t do electronically and hundreds of thousands of pieces of mail are handled by Canada Post every day. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business is especially incensed by the hike, putting its two cents in against the double penny rise.
It argues its members, many of whom still depend on the mail, will be hurt by the rate change and complains it shouldn’t have to pay for what it calls ‘undependable service.’
Still, there is some good news if you use the mail and have purchased those generic stamps recently.
Canada Post long ago abandoned selling regular postage with denominations displayed on them, meaning you can use them as long as you want without having to add anything extra to the envelope.
