Keeping your parcels safe: What are your rights?

How is Canada Post keeping your mail secure? Getting your mail on time is important, but making sure it doesn't fall into the wrong hands is crucial. Ross McLaughlin reports.

While postal workers fight for more money and better working conditions, a Langley woman is upset that they’re not doing the job they’re already paid to do.

Colleen Titus lives in an apartment complex and says she regularly finds her larger Canada Post packages and envelopes left on a shelf below her locked mailbox.

“That’s not secure at all, I've complained three times to Canada Post," Titus said.

She says although the mailboxes are inside a locked clubhouse, she doesn’t know all her neighbors.

"I've had it left actually on the bench outside my front door- unsecured,” she said.

Canada Post does have a policy called "safe drop"- meaning if you’re not available to receive a parcel, the carrier can leave it in a safe place sheltered from the weather, unless a signature is required or the sender requested, "do not safe drop."

However, Canada Post say leaving a package on a shelf in an apartment complex is not considered a safe drop, unless it was requested to be left there or with someone in your building.

“If there are ever issues call customer service, and we'll investigate,” Canada Post communications manager, Jon Hamilton told CTV News.

Canada Post investigated the situation at Titus’s complex and determined one large envelope addressed to her had been mis-delivered and possibly left for her by one of her neighbors.

The agency has cleaned up the labelling on the mailboxes which may have contributed to the confusion and says it’s also spoken to the carrier.

However, Titus has received no explanation about other packages that had been left out.

Titus has a mailbox that is half the size of other mailboxes in her building so often larger packages don’t fit. Canada Post is supposed to leave a note for pickup at the nearest post office which is just a few blocks away.

“We're monitoring that customers mail on a daily basis to make sure nothing happens going forward and if something does happen we'll look into to see if there is another issue that we're not aware of,” Hamilton added.

Customers do have the option of "flex delivery" - you can select a post office as your "flex delivery" delivery address. It’s great when you’re not home or if you’re traveling and need to receive a parcel. But it only works if the shipper sends to a PO box.

Another service that has just been rolled out is "delivery preference." You can select your "safe drop" location when you’re not home. Both services are free.

Titus hopes that after contacting CTV News about her mail she will not experience any more problems.

“There are other people out in society that this issue must be happening to. I'm not the only person," she added.