Several residents of a Montreal-area neighbourhood are upset to see construction moving forward on two community mailboxes in the area, despite a Canada Post moratorium on the contentious project.
Last week, Canada Post announced it was temporarily shelving all new community mailbox projects slated to begin in November and December 2015, and those scheduled for 2016.
But in the community of Laval-des-Rapides, construction had already begun last week on the “superboxes,” and work has continued into November. Now, residents are frustrated that plans were not abandoned with the November moratorium. One man even tried to block construction by sitting in a hole where one of the boxes was to be built.
A spokesperson for Canada Post says work on the mailboxes in Laval-des-Rapides was behind schedule, and was originally scheduled to be finished by the end of October. The organization says it is now moving to complete its work, in order to ensure a smooth transition to the community mailbox system.
The original moratorium was announced on Oct. 26, so Canada Post can await action on a campaign promise from Prime Minister-designate Justin Trudeau. Trudeau has pledged to reverse cuts to Canada Post, which has been phasing out door-to-door delivery in favour of the cheaper community mailbox solution.
The community mailbox project has sparked many battles with neighbourhoods across Canada, as residents resist the move away from door-to-door delivery. Earlier this year, the City of Montreal joined a lawsuit against Canada Post, in an effort to reverse the transition.
With files from CTV Montreal
