Canada Post halts regular mail delivery to Rebecca Towers as outbreak continues

As a COVID-19 outbreak continues at Rebecca Towers, people living there are raising concerns about what they consider an essential service that has been cut off — mail delivery.

A spokesperson for Canada Post confirmed it suspended delivery to the highrise on May 5 because of the outbreak.

Residents were notified and Canada Post worked with the building management and public health for "delivery of essential mail," wrote Nicole Lecompte in an email to CBC.

A notice telling tenants that they can temporarily pick up their own mail at the Canada Post depot at 75 Frid Street was posted on Tuesday, she said.

That means that for 13 days, people living in the building went without access to their mail.

While it may at first seem like a minor inconvenience, Arefin Chowdhury said mail is crucial for those waiting on benefits, credit card statements and, in some cases, deliveries of personal protective equipment.

"I personally know a lot of people, working-class people, depending on their child benefits and other benefit cheques. They're not direct deposit."

Debra O'Neil is another Rebecca Towers tenant. Her son is autistic and she receives support through ODSP. 

O'Neil said the funds do go directly into her back account, so that specific problem hasn't affected her, but she worries as the end of the month draws near.

That's when she'd typically receive an ODSP statement and she knows other residents will be expecting their monthly bills.

Lecompte said government and social assistance cheques are considered essential mail and will be delivered.

Still, both Chowdhury and O'Neil said they don't feel Canada Post did enough to notify those in the building about their regular mail service being halted.

'Critical items only'

A photo shared with CBC shows a poster that's reportedly up in the building and directing tenants to the Frid Street location.

"Critical items only," someone has written by hand next to contact information for the facility.

Rebecca Towers is the site of the first COVID-19 outbreak to be declared in a Hamilton apartment building.

A total of 110 cases have been logged there since mid-March. Nine cases were active there as of Thursday. One person has died.

Members of the Rebecca Towers tenant committee have shared concerns about possible exposure to the virus, telling city and health officials that some are afraid to leave their apartments, even to be vaccinated, because of worries about shared spaces, ventilation and riding the 17-storey building's one, functioning elevator with others.

Chowdhury said he believes mail delivery is an "essential service for every Canadian," and he's "very disappointed" an alternative way to get residents their mail wasn't sorted out sooner.

The committee has also pointed out it's difficult for anyone without a car to get to Frid Street. Representatives say they've reached out to the Canadian Union of Postal Workers and want to work together to push for the city and landlord to resolve the outbreak as soon as possible so mail delivery can begin again.

Lecompte said Canada Post worked with local public health officials to sort out how to get mail to residents, settling on pickup at Frid Street on May 18.

The spokesperson said mail delivery is suspended when there's a "safety concern" for those who deliver it.

"It is our responsibility to ensure that our employees, who visit hundreds of addresses every day, can deliver mail and parcels safely," she said.

Canada Post says residents can retrieve their mail at 75 Frid Street Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

They must wear a mask and bring government-issued ID to pick it up.