To some, it's a perk enjoyed in older neighbourhoods and subsidized by newer ones. To others, home mail delivery is a public institution and the elderly and disabled will be hurt if it's discontinued.
Whatever camp you're in, you'll have to agree that Canada Post needs to revamp its business model to avoid losing $1 billion a year by 2020.
Switching to community mailboxes is seen as a way to cut costs and meet changing consumer demands.
While making the switch will be an inconvenience for people, mostly in older urban neighbourhoods, who still get mail at home, it is inevitable. Sadly, the switch doesn't come with a drop in postage fees or, perhaps more importantly, a guarantee of mail security.
Thefts from community mailboxes have been a problem in many places in the Tri-Cities - Port Coquitlam's Citadel Heights has been one repeated target - and it's up to householders to make sure they pick up their mail regularly to avoid problems. But regular pickup is no guarantee of safety.
If Canada Post wants support for its cost-cutting measures, it had better do something to secure our mail.
