Canada Post may rethink its current efforts to resolve civic and mailing addresses to include all of Puslinch Township – not just portions of it.
The issue first came to the table as a means of resolving the longstanding issue of numerous rural Puslinch properties having a rural Guelph mailing address.
Speaking to Puslinch councillors on Jan. 18 were Canada Post representatives, Wayne Beaton, delivery planning manager, and Andy Paterson, manager of government affairs/municipal engagement.
Paterson explained his role is working with municipalities on the addressing issue, in addition to other issues.
“Canada Post is a crown corporation … but unlike other public organizations … we do not get any taxpayer dollars. We are mandated to operate within our revenues,” he said. “More and more we’ve seen how important that the civic/municipal address matches the mailing address.
“We are finding that a lot of companies won’t ship to a P.O. Box. And there are issues when people note the difference between a mailing and civic address (of a given property).”
He added, “We’ve been embarking on a process to modernize … get more efficient wherever possible,” by matching civic addresses with the mailing address.
Beaton stated that based on dialogue with staff – there are two issues on the table.
One is exploring the option of using the community name of Aberfoyle, which he said, “From Canada Post’s perspective … is a doable thing.”
The process would take about six-to-eight months, if it did happen, and the civic addresses would still remain as Puslinch.
Beaton cautioned council that if the municipal and mailing addresses remain different, there could be potential issues with emergency service dispatch.
Beaton said an official resolution would still be needed before moving forward.
Councillor Ken Roth suggested that adding the Aberfoyle name into the mix would add confusion.
“We are Puslinch … we are not Aberfoyle or Arkell,” he said, adding it would be simpler and more efficient for emergency services to have everything identified as Puslinch.
“The last thing we want is for our fire trucks to go out to the wrong address.”
Paterson clarified that identifying individual communities within other Wellington municipalities such as Rockwood (Guelph-Eramosa) was based on those communities having post offices and rural routes.
“There has never been an Aberfoyle post office and routes,” he said.
Councillor Matthew Bulmer agreed there were benefits to a consistent address. He noted a “fair portion” of the township still has a Cambridge rural route mailing address.
Discussions thus far have only included Guelph rural routes in Puslinch.
Beaton said “our ultimate goal … is to see every mailing address match up with its civic address identifier.”
Beaton agreed there are currently rural routes that cover two or three municipalities.
When the routes are being restructured, efforts are being made to link the mailing address and civic address.
Councillor Susan Fielding said it would be in everyone’s interests to have the mailing address as Puslinch.
“It is really confusing to people.” She pointed to a recent incident where a person considered themselves a Cambridge resident (because of a mailing address) even though they lived in Puslinch.
“There was some delay in a fire response,” she added.
While it would be nice to include a community name, “It should not be at the expense of someone’s safety.”
Councillor John Sepulis asked if a council resolution would expedite moving the entire municipality to Puslinch mailing addresses.
Mayor Dennis Lever noted when the proposal first came out from Canada Post to rename the addresses of RR6 Guelph, a few Aberfoyle residents suggested using Aberfoyle as a community address. A lot has happened since then.
“I have heard from more than one business owner that they were not interested in seeing their address change for a second time,” said Lever.
“From a personal perspective I would like to see it changed to Puslinch.”
The mayor is one of the local residents whose mailing address is RR22 Cambridge.
Bulmer noted if the goal is to change all the addresses, it would be nice to do them all at once.
