Oversight of Canada Post Corporation

International responsibilities

The Universal Postal Union (UPU) is a United Nations agency that coordinates postal policies among 192 member nations. As a UPU

• provides affordable postal services for all people in Canada
• allows the exchange of mail between countries

The Canadian delegation to the UPU includes:

• officials from Public Services and Procurement Canada
• employees from Canada Post

Public Services and Procurement Canada oversees postal affairs in Canada while Canada Post is the only organization responsible for operating postal services in Canada.

Regulatory framework

Under the Canada Post Corporation Act, Canada Post must:

• provide high-quality, universal postal services to rural and urban communities across Canada
• operate in a secure and financially self-sustaining manner

With the government as its sole shareholder, Canada Post is accountable to several government bodies, which act to protect the public interest. These include:

• Parliament
• the Governor in Council
• the Privy Council Office
• the Treasury Board of Canada
• the Minister responsible for Canada Post
• the Minister of Finance

Rural post offices moratorium

In 1994, the Government of Canada put in place a moratorium to stop the franchising or closure of post offices in rural areas and small towns.

Archived list of protected Canada Post retail outlets

Canadian Postal Service Charter

In 2009, the government put in place the Canadian Postal Service Charter. This charter sets standards for Canada Post’s services to be universal, affordable and responsive to the needs of people across Canada. Changes to the charter will be necessary to operationalize the Government’s September 2025 announcement.

Industrial Inquiry Commission Report

In December 2024, the Minister of Labour established an Industrial Inquiry Commission (IIC) into Canada Post, chaired by Mr. William Kaplan. The IIC examined the collective-bargaining dispute and the positions of the parties, with special attention to the underlying causes of the dispute and specifically:

• Canada Post’s financial situation
• Canada Post’s need to diversify and alter its delivery models
• the viability of the business
• the union’s commitments to job security and full-time employment
• the need to protect the health and safety of employees

The Industrial Inquiry Commission’s report, issued in May 2025, made a series of recommendations. The Commission considered input from stakeholders including Canada Post, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers and the general public.

Measures to support Canada Post’s transformation

In 2025, building on the IIC’s recommendations, the Government of Canada announced measures to enable Canada Post to transform its operations and stabilize its finances. The measures include:

• introducing more flexible letter mail delivery standards
• lifting the moratorium on community mailbox conversions
• lifting the 1994 moratorium on the closure of rural post offices
• reviewing the process for increases to the stamp rate to shorten it and ultimately eliminating the need for Governor in Council approval