Rene Newton has been renting an apartment on Van Horne Street for eight years and has always received his mail without a problem.
On Jan. 26, he said he and the other tenants in his building stopped getting their mail with no warning or explanation.
Newton said other tenants and the property owner contacted Canada Post to see what the problem was. On Feb. 3 he received a phone call from Canada Post and a representative told him he had to start picking up his mail at the Lisgar Street post office.
“Nobody had a clue what was going on,” he said. “Nobody had my mail. So I wasn’t too happy with them.”
After numerous conversations with Canada Post employees, Newton was able to pick up his mail at the post office on Feb. 7.
“It’s not big issue for me to walk there as I’m only a two-minute walk from work to get the mail,” he said. “But I’m paying taxes for this service and I’m not getting this service.”
Newton said he was told by Canada Post representatives that mail was not being delivered on that side of Van Horne Street because there is no sidewalk. Newton said he doesn’t agree with that reason as he’s had the same mail carrier for more than a year.
I’m paying taxes for this service and I’m not getting this service.
Rene Newton,
resident
“It’s not a new person,” he said. “She’s been there for awhile delivering and suddenly there’s an issue.”
Josie Do, property owner of the Van Horne residence, said she’s been trying to help resolve the issue for her tenants.
“I’ve had this unit for...17 years,” she said. “Mail has been delivered since the house has been there. But what really made me angry is that nobody contacted (the tenants). Not even a piece of paper to let them know that there is an issue.”
Martina Lepine, spokesperson for Canada Post, said the affected customers were contacted by phone about the situation on Feb. 3 and confirmed that mail delivery to that area has been suspended.
“The letter carrier has filed a complaint with HRDC (Human Resources and Skills Development Canada) claiming it’s unsafe to deliver the mail,” she said. “The safety of our employees is very important. Until a determination is made regarding safety by the HRDC, we cannot assign the work to any other delivery agent.”
Representatives from HRDC were able to confirm that an investigation was underway, but unable to comment further on the particular file.
Meanwhile, Do said she will continue to try to find answers as to when her tenants will have mail delivered to their door. “How would you like it if you didn’t get your mail?” she said. “I don’t live there, but it’s my tenants.”
