Mailboxes left open accidentally by Canada Post

By Gillian Slade on December 16, 2017.

gslade@medicinehatnews.com  @MHNGillianSlade

A couple of Canada Post super mailboxes in Medicine Hat were left wide open and unattended this week.

The boxes located on Valleyview Avenue were left open and discovered in that state by a local resident early Wednesday afternoon.

Canada Post confirmed the boxes were “accidentally left open” and as soon as the situation was reported, a supervisor was dispatched to close them.

Canada Post has expressed concern.

“This incident is unacceptable. We apologize and have followed up internally to make sure this will not be repeated,” said Sylvie Lapointe, spokesperson for Canada Post.

Lapointe says Canada Post asks residents to contact them as soon as possible when something like this is noticed.

“The fastest way to report a problem is to create a service ticket online or to call customer service at 1-800-267-1177, and the matter will be a priority,” said Lapointe.

At this time of year when there is an increase in the number of people receiving mail and parcels, there have been several national warnings of the dangers of having parcels delivered and left outside your home. Some go missing.

When super mailboxes were introduced, one of the advantages was supposed to be “secure mail” that only the addressee can access with a key.

There is also the added convenience of picking up your parcel right at the mail box instead of having to go to the neighbourhood post office.

It has not been possible to ascertain how often a super mail box is “accidentally” left open.

Canada Post does offer FlexDelivery service, which allows online purchases to be directed to a post office for pickup.

It was December 2013 that it was revealed Canada Post had plans to do away with home delivery and was getting ready to introduce super mail boxes for everyone. In Medicine Hat super mailboxes were ready to roll by the fall of 2015.

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