/C O R R E C T I O N from Source -- Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association/

In the news release, "New study shows need in rural Canada for financial services which Canada Post could deliver", issued 25-Sep-2014 by Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association over CNW, the company advises that a paragraph should have been omitted. The complete, corrected release follows:

New study shows need in rural Canada for financial services which Canada Post could deliver

OTTAWA, Sept. 25, 2014 /CNW/ - Canada Post launched a 5-point plan in December 2013 which has already resulted in:

• increased rates,
• closing down more public post offices,
• reducing services in rural and urban post offices, making them less convenient while promoting franchises,
• starting the shut down of home delivery,
• and is on track to eliminate over 8,000 good rural and urban jobs

The Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association's new study Why Post Offices Need to Offer Banking Services http://cpaa-acmpa.ca/pub/files/banking_services_SEPT23Eng.pdf  shows there is now new proof that there is a better way to proceed, which would mean stopping all the Canada Post cuts.  We can keep and improve our postal services and, at the same time, open new revenue streams.

Our new study is based on the results of a new survey done over the summer of over 3300 rural post offices across Canada. Over 78% (2620) of all those post offices responded!  45% of communities surveyed (nearly 1200) have a post office, but no bank or credit union. We are talking about many communities in Canada whose residents, in order to get to a bank or credit union, are forced to travel very long distances, which costs time and money and stifles economic development, particularly in rural Canada.

Every post office should offer banking services. Most other countries like Canada, such as the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Italy and New Zealand, have successful banking services right in their post offices.  We know that Canada Post carried out its own study last fall (which it has refused to reveal to the public in its entirety), which also shows that offering financial services would be a "win-win strategy". 

Not only are the changes Canada Post is bringing in the wrong way to go, but they were brought in without any real consultation with the public, including citizens, business, unions and communities. We talked to post offices in more than 3300 communities in our survey. Canada Post talked to only 46 communities, mainly in Conservative ridings before announcing its cuts. We think that Lisa Raitt, the Minister in charge of Canada Post, should stop all cuts and consult with the public about any proposed changes to the post office by launching a postal charter review.

The survey was carried out for the Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association (CPAA) by Anderson Consulting. CPAA, founded in 1902, is a national association representing 8828 members;  5,553 full and part-time and 3,325 terms.

CPAA, with Anderson Consulting, will be holding a media availability from 10 AM  12 PM at 281 Queen Mary St., Ottawa, ON K1K 1X1 on Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Image with caption: "New study shows need in rural Canada for financial services which Canada Post could deliver. (CNW Group/Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140925_C2121_PHOTO_EN_6003.jpg

SOURCE: Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association

Brenda McAuley, President, Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association, 613-745-2095, [email protected]; John Anderson, Anderson Consulting, [email protected], 613-523-6648