Is it true Canada Post considers charity prepaid return envelopes as parcels? Here in Windsor, Ontario, this has become a reality.
Unfortunately, we ordered prepaid stamping from Canada Post. This service, if it worked, would provide a donor with the option to place their stamp over the prepaid indicia. If they did so, this would save the charity more money.
So what are indicias?
On the Canada Post website: https://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pg/indicia/default-e.asp?ecid=murl10005746
“A Postal Indicia is a marking that identifies the service name and the customer number. It must be printed or applied to each mail item when paying by commercial account.”
What benefit for the charity is derived from using an indicia? The cost charged to the charity is less than the domestic letter mail charge.
So, thinking we would be saving money for our charity, we had our printer arrange for the indicia on our return envelopes. Some donors would save the cost of the stamp. Some other folks would be happy for the convenience.
So what went wrong? Numerous donors have been calling us to ask why we have not deposited their donations to our bank account. The answer is Canada Post has not been directing the envelopes with indicia’s to us!
We cannot put cheques into the bank that Canada Post has not delivered. A few pieces of mail that had a postage stamp overlayed did arrive.
When we contacted Canada Post, in a plea of the genuine need for our donations, they were not helpful. They gave us a stock answer that theirs was an “essential service” and direction to their website. The website advised that “parcels” would be delayed.
How do return envelopes to a charity that feeds the homeless and hungry become parcels? Canada Post refused to answer that question!
We advised Canada Post that our charity is also an “essential service,” but they did not bother to reply.
Yes, indicia’s belong in the “business mail” category, yet isn’t there at least one sympathetic employee at Canada Post who can process the envelopes to enable us to continue to feed the homeless and hungry?
Canada Post would benefit by charging our charity a fee for every indicia-stamped piece of mail they deliver. That said, they had better not bill us for an item they have not given to us!
I repeat, Street Help Homeless Centre is an “essential service,” and Canada Post needs to respect that. We have asked Brian Masse MP’s office to look into this matter.
Stay safe and well.
Christine Wilson-Furlonger, Administrator
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