Canada Post rushed community mailboxes in Charlottetown: Councillor Tweel

Charlottetown Coun. Mitch Tweel has accused Canada Post of deliberately rushing the installation of community mailboxes in the city in order to beat the new Liberal government's halt to the program.

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Charlottetown and much of Stratford saw the new mailboxes go into use on Oct. 27, the same day the moratorium on the program was announced nationally.

Our authority and responsibility has been usurped by a Crown corporation.— Mitch Tweel, Charlottetown councillor

​Tweel, an outspoken critic of Canada Post's dealings with the city, said at this week's council meeting he believed Canada Post hurried the job.

"Even after the federal election was held they accelerated their aim and objective of installing these mailboxes when the incoming Liberal government had made it clear there was going to be a review and they were going to reverse the decision," Tweel told reporters after the meeting.

"So I think it's quite appalling, and now we're left with trying to deal with these issues. And the residents, and I can tell you staff and city council, are very frustrated."

Tweel brought up the issue of parking on narrow streets, saying he's heard from frustrated residents that people are stopping in no-parking zones to get their mail.

"These mailboxes were not meant for an historic city like the city of Charlottetown," Tweel said.

"It's infringed upon people's privacy, it's devaluing their property, it's a major nightmare with respect to traffic, graffiti, flyers, snow removal. Who's going to be responsible for the snow removal?"

No consultation: Tweel

Tweel called it typical of the experience the city has had with Canada Post over the community mailboxes.

"Canada Post has been telling people they are consulting with the City of Charlottetown and they are not," he said.

"The residents here are dealing with people that are not on-Island, they could be in Halifax, they could be in Toronto, whether it be from a national or regional perspective, and once again, you're dealing with a 1-800 number, and that's not the way to do business.

The councillor said he'd like to see the city's senior management and police department inform Canada Post it cannot put the citizens of Charlottetown in such a precarious and dangerous situation.

"We're a level of government that is closest to the people, and yet our authority and responsibility has been usurped by a Crown corporation that seems to be accountable to no one," Tweel added.

Charlottetown Liberal MP Sean Casey has said his government stands by its election commitment to restore home delivery.