Canada Post is more than a delivery service. It is a unifying force, a national institution, and a lifeline to communities that would otherwise be left behind. As one of the few remaining publicly owned services with a true coast-to-coast presence, Canada Post is not just worth preserving — it is essential to Canada’s identity, resilience, and sovereignty.

Founded in 1867, Canada Post — originally Royal Mail Canada — was established alongside Confederation to help build the very idea of a connected Canada. Long before cellphones or internet access, it was Canada Post that stitched this vast country together. It carried news, cheques, and letters across mountain ranges, forests, and frozen lakes, reaching remote towns and fly-in communities that private companies wouldn’t, and still won’t serve.

That commitment lives on through Canada Post’s universal service obligation, which requires it to deliver mail and parcels to every Canadian address, regardless of geography or profitability. While private couriers cherry-pick urban markets and charge premium rates for remote deliveries, Canada Post ensures equitable access to services, from prescription deliveries in northern Manitoba to passport applications in suburban Montreal.

This vital work is supported by an unparalleled physical network: over 6,000 postal outlets nationwide; more than Tim Hortons and McDonald’s combined. It provides crucial services in Indigenous communities, rural towns, and underserved neighbourhoods where commercial logistics options are either unavailable or unaffordable. It also ensures access for people without home delivery, through PO boxes and community mailboxes.

Equally important is Canada Post’s economic role. It is one of Canada’s largest employers, with more than 60,000 unionized workers who earn decent wages, benefits, and job security. These aren’t just jobs, they’re good jobs, providing stability and opportunity in an age dominated by precarious gig work. Canada Post also supports small businesses, helping them compete in the digital economy through affordable shipping and e-commerce tools.

Far from being stuck in the past, Canada Post has modernized. It delivered over 361 million parcels in 2023, a sign of its growing importance in a world increasingly reliant on online shopping. It has invested in tracking systems, improved logistics, and launched green initiatives, including electric delivery vehicles and more sustainable infrastructure.

Despite all this, Canada Post operates under a challenging financial model. As a Crown corporation, it is expected to fund its operations through its own revenue, unlike some other Crown agencies that receive regular government subsidies. And although Canada Post has posted profits in several years, recent financial pressures, declining mail volumes, inflation, and rising operating costs have led to mounting losses.

In 2025, the federal government stepped in with a $1.034 billion loan to help Canada Post remain solvent and operational. This support was necessary, but it highlights the deeper issue: we demand the service quality of a public institution, but fund it like a private business. That contradiction is no longer sustainable.

The government has a responsibility not only to oversee Canada Post, but to invest in its success. That means stable funding, especially for its rural and remote service obligations, and a long-term commitment to public ownership. Canada Post doesn’t exist to turn a profit, it exists to serve Canadians, equally and reliably, in every corner of the country.

In a time of global uncertainty and political tension, including increased pressure from powerful neighbours, we must reinforce our sovereign infrastructure, not weaken it. Canada Post is a trusted symbol of national unity and public service. Undermining or privatizing it would betray its mission and leave millions worse off.

Canada Post delivers for Canadians. Now, Canadians and their governments must deliver for it. The future of this essential public service depends on it.

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