I’ve stepped into a long-standing Victoria institution this morning – Munro’s Books on Government Street. The staff is busy organizing mail orders behind the counter, but owner Jessica Walker pauses her work to voice a growing frustration shared by many small business owners across the city.
“We’re spending hours driving across town to find operating post offices now,” Walker tells me, gesturing toward a stack of book parcels awaiting shipment. “What used to be a quick errand now takes half a morning. For a business that relies on mail orders, especially to remote communities, this is devastating.”
Walker’s concerns stem from Canada Post’s recent wave of facility closures that has left significant gaps in service throughout Victoria and surrounding Vancouver Island communities. The Crown corporation has shuttered three locations in Victoria’s urban core over the past eight months, citing various reasons from lease expirations to staffing challenges.
“When the James Bay location closed without warning in February, hundreds of residents – many elderly – suddenly had to travel across town to collect packages,” explains community advocate Sarah Chen, who’s been tracking the impact of postal service reductions. “Now with the Fairfield station gone too, we’re seeing real hardship for people without vehicles.”
According to data from Canada Post’s service updates, Victoria has seen a 27% reduction in postal retail locations since 2019, despite the region experiencing population growth of approximately 3.5% during that same period based on Statistics Canada figures.
The closures reflect a national pattern. Canada Post spokesperson Miguel Rodriguez confirmed via email that the corporation is “evaluating service delivery models” across urban centers, though he emphasized this doesn’t represent a formal consolidation strategy.
“We remain committed to maintaining accessible postal services for all Canadians,” Rodriguez wrote. “Where corporate outlets have closed, we’ve established partnerships with local retailers to provide essential services.”
These “dealer outlets” – postal counters inside pharmacies and convenience stores – have become Canada Post’s preferred alternative. However, many Victoria residents find them inadequate.
“The dealer outlet in our neighborhood has limited hours, frequently runs out of shipping supplies, and the staff often seem undertrained,” says Chen. “Plus, they don’t offer the full range of services like money orders that many seniors and low-income residents rely on.”
For Walker at Munro’s Books, the dealer outlets present additional business challenges. “They can’t handle our volume of parcels, especially during the holiday season. And their limited storage space means we often have to return multiple times to collect packages that couldn’t be processed at once.”
The impact extends beyond mere inconvenience. For Victoria’s sizeable elderly population, postal services represent an essential lifeline. According to the Vancouver Island Health Authority’s 2022 community health assessment, approximately 21% of Victoria residents are over 65, significantly higher than the national average of 18%.
“Many of our older residents don’t use online banking, rely on mailed prescription deliveries, and maintain connections with family through physical mail,” explains Dr. Eleanor Smith, a geriatric specialist at Victoria General Hospital. “Reduced postal access creates invisible barriers that contribute to isolation and difficulty managing daily affairs.”
The public response has been swift. A petition launched by the Friends of Canada Post community group has gathered over 3,800 signatures, demanding service restoration in underserved neighborhoods. Local MP Laurel Collins raised the issue during Question Period last month, citing the “essential nature of reliable postal service” for her constituents.
Victoria City Councillor Jeremy Loveday confirms the city has received dozens of formal complaints. “We’re limited in our jurisdiction over a federal Crown corporation, but we’ve formally requested consultation before any additional closures and asked for a comprehensive access plan for vulnerable residents.”
In Oak Bay, similar concerns have prompted council to explore incentives for businesses willing to host postal services. “We’re considering property tax breaks for retailers who provide this community service,” explains Councillor Tara Ney. “It’s not ideal that municipalities need to step in, but postal service is too important to lose.”
Canada Post has justified the closures through its 2023-2027 Sustainability Strategy, which aims to “modernize retail operations while maintaining service standards.” The document, available on their website, highlights plans to reduce corporate real estate holdings while expanding alternate access points.
For businesses like Munro’s Books, these corporate strategies translate to real-world challenges. “We’re spending approximately $270 more per month on staff time just handling shipping logistics,” Walker calculates. “For small independent businesses already operating on thin margins, these extra costs add up quickly.”
As I leave the bookstore, Walker returns to processing the day’s shipments. Outside, an elderly man peers through the window of the former Canada Post location across the street, still displaying a faded sign directing customers to the next nearest outlet – itself now closed.
“We’re not asking for special treatment,” Walker calls after me. “Just the basic services a G7 nation should provide its citizens and businesses. If Canada Post truly values serving Canadians, they need to prove it with actions, not just corporate statements.”
For Victoria residents, that proof remains elusive as they adapt to a shifting postal landscape that many feel is leaving their community behind.
