REGINA – Canada Post is hiking its postage rates, though sending a letter will only set you back an extra $0.22 to $0.37 – depending how you buy your stamps.
But for organizations like the Canadian Cancer Society, which had more than 26,000 tax receipts to mail out last year, the costs are much more significant. The price hike could cost the Saskatchewan division $5,700 more in 2014.
Donna Pasiechnik, a society spokesperson, says that money is better spent elsewhere.
“A lot of people who fall below a certain threshold apply for assistance so they can get to-and-from cancer treatment,” said Pasiechnik. “($5,700) would provide nearly four people with that.”
The price hike is part of sweeping changes at Canada Post. Last December it was revealed that door-to-door delivery would be phased out.
Many small communities will no longer process mail – sorting facilities in Moose Jaw, Swift Current and Yorkton have had their work move to Regina.
Canada Post says there’s no impact on the workforce, and jobs will only disappear through attrition.
It’s all about the bottom line as the shift to e-mail continues.
The Saskatchewan Hockey Association sends more than 12,000 try-out letters each year – a practice that will likely end in 2014.
“What’s the point of doing that? People register online anyways with us,” said SHA general manager Kelly McClintock. “We’ll make it mandatory they have to provide their e-mail address and we’ll do it online.”
The Canadian Cancer Society hopes more people will choose digital too.
The less spent on stamps means more money going towards the cause.
“There are much better ways to spend money than on postage,” Pasiechnik said.
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