Canada Post is a revenue-generating institution with a proven track record so we are confident in our ability to invest in these changes.
Many of the services we’re proposing, like postal banking, remain relatively inexpensive to implement yet generate profits which will help pay for other programs. Eventually, many new services will become profitable.
Job security and addressing climate change are not partisan issues. All Canadians stand to benefit from this vision. We're currently lobbying the existing government, as well as members of the opposition.
We aren't affiliated or working with any parties and believe the ideas should be favourable for any party that cares about serving their constituents
In the spirit of real reconciliation, we believe Indigenous peoples have a right to reshape Canada Post and help determine its future role in their communities.
Many Indigenous communities still lack access to key resources that settler Canadians rely on in their communities such as affordable internet and access to banking without discrimination. Canada Post already has a vast infrastructure that reaches many Indigenous communities, and where it doesn’t, the service could be expanded.
We can reimagine Canada Post to provide services to Indigenous communities in a way that is just, collaborative, and honours Indigenous rights.
Municipal and provincial officials can show their support for expanded Canada Post services, helping create non-partisan and far-reaching support for expanded services for all Canadians and a “greener” Canada Post that will help make seismic changes to the job industry. You can help by talking to your local elected officials about these ideas.
Canada Post, and postal workers in particular, have had the trust of the public for over 100 years. As we undertake a major transition to save our planet and our well-being, we need to increase the breadth of services provided by a reliable public sector. In fact, a survey of Canadians indicates that postal workers are the most well liked of any public servant, and we’re profitable and self-sufficient.
The post office is more than a building where you get your mail—it can be a gathering place for people in the community. We want to formalize this position by offering a space where youth, seniors, or other groups could meet, learn new skills, stage pop-up shops and more. In places where space for meetups or community gatherings are limited but there is a post office, it’s a no-brainer to open up the facility to serve the community.
We know firsthand that broadband capacity in rural and remote Canada is not pervasive or steady. As a steady, stable presence in these rural communities Canada Post could be the option that guarantees an appropriate level of service for all Canadians by renting space to the larger internet providers, or offering WiFi services, or even our own broadband. There are many options to explore. Because Canada Post is about serving communities, we’re uniquely positioned to fill this need.
Postal banking could include:
Postal banking is not a new or radical idea. Postal banks already exist in many parts of the world, and existed in Canada until 1968. Today, one billion people have accounts at postal banks. It makes sense, because we already have a presence in communities and a mandate to serve people. So, we’re able to offer reliable, affordable services.
We have the largest publicly-owned fleet of vehicles in Canada, so transitioning that fleet to electric-powered vehicles stands to make a huge impact on greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions. Additionally, retrofitting and installing solar panels on post offices will save energy and costs for Canada Post, as well as create green jobs, creating a cascading effect of these measures on other industries and companies.
This is not about a one-size-fits all model, but about expanding appropriate services while shifting the industry. We believe that, while not every post office can accommodate charging stations, there are many that can, and our plan aims to add charging stations where it is possible.
Absolutely. CUPW values unions and union-made products. In implementing the components of this campaign, we will always be sure to make the necessary representations to the Corporation and to the government so that good unionized jobs are created and union made products used, to the extent possible.
Whether or not we retrofit our fleet, the energy sector is changing. But doing it in a sustainable way shows greater certainty—a study from Clean Energy Canada demonstrated that job growth from clean energy will substantially outpace that from fossil fuels over the next decade[1].
We can create a bridge to a more sustainable industry of the future by leveraging the size of our assets and industry.
We have a unique opportunity to create a need for more good, green manufacturing jobs, creating a demand.
Skilled workers who have suffered from a shifting energy market can transition to manufacturing and engineering to support green energy work, knowing that the size of our physical footprint and fleet will create a long-term, sustainable industry.
[1] https://www.thestar.com/business/2019/10/03/job-intensive-study-says-clean-energy-fast-track-to-employment-growth.html
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