Government Operations Committee on Nov. 4th, 2025

[Michael Aubie]

I don't have a clear definition that I'd be prepared to give today of what I think you're looking for. That said, I'd be more than happy to follow up with the clerk.

[Jeremy Patzer, Conservative, Swift Current—Grasslands—Kindersley, SK]

Is that something you could follow up with this committee on—the working definition that FCM uses for rural?

[Michael Aubie]

Yes. As I said, sir, I would be happy to follow up with the clerk in order to provide for you.

[Jeremy Patzer, Conservative, Swift Current—Grasslands—Kindersley, SK]

Sorry. Thanks. I would greatly appreciate that.

There's also the business element. In many of these small towns, people are trying to set up small businesses. The service sector is large in small communities. Again, when there is only one option for getting delivery, whether it's parts, whether it's merchandise, or whatever it might be, I think that really underscores the need for rural communities to maintain their post office box.

In the conversations you have with your membership, what are you hearing from them in regard to operating small businesses in these rural and small urban communities?

[Michael Aubie]

Yes, Canada Post services are absolutely critical in order to have small businesses function. There was a study out recently. The CFIB noted that 44% of rural and remote businesses said that losing Canada Post services would seriously impact them.

Fundamentally, it's about competitiveness for our country. We need to ensure that our rural and small-town business owners are able to compete globally. In order to do that, we need to have access to services such as Canada Post.

You're absolutely right. We need to ensure those services are available, so that they can succeed.

[Jeremy Patzer, Conservative, Swift Current—Grasslands—Kindersley, SK]

Seniors typically choose to live in or move out to rural communities because they can afford a house there. For your proposal around affordable housing, it seems to me that it would fit into a large urban centre. I'm just wondering, have you all considered the impacts that this potentially could have on smaller communities if the government isn't very clear on how they're defining “rural community”?

[Michael Aubie]

Yes. From our perspective, certainly, we see this as an opportunity.

When it comes to affordable housing, really, we see a lot of the opportunities within rural Canada, or at least in what many of us would consider to be rural Canada, such as, for example, being able to use those underutilized post offices for affordable housing, whether it be for seniors or for any Canadians in rural Canada. For example, many of these post offices have significant real estate along with them. We see an opportunity to leverage modular housing, for example, in order to provide more housing within communities.

At the end of the day, really, we believe that these public lands should be utilized in order to help Canadians build their houses.

[Jeremy Patzer, Conservative, Swift Current—Grasslands—Kindersley, SK]

How many of your members use their own houses for post offices? I know that's a common thing in my neck of the woods. There are a lot of little villages where they're in somebody's house or maybe the village, or the RM has moved in an ATCO trailer and they're actually run out of an ATCO trailer on site.

How common is it? Are you aware of that?

[Michael Aubie]

I'm familiar with the practice. I would respectfully suggest that Canada Post would be able to provide you the most recent numbers on the number of postmaster-provided locations.

Certainly, it's significant. I wouldn't want to speculate with the committee on the exact numbers, but it's something that I'm certainly aware of, and there's a large number of them. It's a very common method of postal service within rural communities.

[Jeremy Patzer, Conservative, Swift Current—Grasslands—Kindersley, SK]

I think it would be fair to say—and I would expect that you would agree—that this signifies the importance of the service it provides to our rural communities, correct?

[Michael Aubie]

Absolutely. Again, Canada Post is a critical element of the services for rural communities. Fundamentally, we want to see Canada Post thrive and succeed, because when Canada Post is doing well in that way, rural Canada has the opportunity to be able to succeed as well.

[Jeremy Patzer, Conservative, Swift Current—Grasslands—Kindersley, SK]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

We'll go to Ms. Rochefort, please.

[Pauline Rochefort, Liberal, Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. St‑Amour, I too would like to congratulate you on your re-election. As Ms. Gaudreau said, you've been mayor of your municipality for 16 years. That's impressive.

I really appreciated your remarks. Quebeckers were worried about the postal strike and the potential impact it would have on the elections. I kept a close eye on the situation, and I think the elections went well.

You talked about the $30 delivery fee per constituent. That's steep, and it makes you realize how important Canada Post's delivery services are.

That said, you've raised a very important issue. It's also nice to know that citizens will continue to receive their municipal communications by mail. Your remarks really highlighted the importance of Canada Post's delivery services.

I have two questions for you.

You talked about the municipal perspective, and how important the services provided by Canada Post are for your municipality in the context of an election.

During this last election, did your citizens say anything to you about Canada Post? If so, do you remember what they said?

[Normand St-Amour]

They pointed out that, because of the postal strike, mail-in voting was impossible. Canada Post couldn't deliver ballots within the legally set deadlines. As a result, during the last election, mail-in voting rates were much lower than usual. In Chute-Saint-Philippe, for example, half the letters were returned.

Constituents had to travel hundreds of kilometres to vote. It's important to know that most of them own a cottage in the area, but that their main residence is in town. They came in to drop their ballot directly in a municipal mailbox.

Another issue is tax statements. To comply with deadlines prescribed by another law, we'll have to start sending those statements to our citizens in the next two or three months. We'll be faced with the same problem. If Canada Post can't deliver within the legally set deadlines, we'll have to find another solution. Right now, there is none, and if there is, it's expensive.

It's important to note that the Internet has been available in our municipality for only two or three years. Digital services, or even digital technology in general, is not something our citizens are used to. They don't trust it. They keep hearing about things like fraud.

They trust Canada Post.

[Pauline Rochefort, Liberal, Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON]

Well said.

I noted that your municipality is part of Quebec's age-friendly communities program.

My next question is about mail accessibility. Is your municipality aware that Canada Post has a service to help people with functional limitations, such as seniors who have trouble getting to the post office?

Are you aware that the service is available?

[Normand St-Amour]

I'm familiar with the peer support program and the transportation support service.

I know there's an accessibility service, but I'm not very familiar with it.

[Pauline Rochefort, Liberal, Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON]

Thank you, Mr. St‑Amour.

Ms. Piché, your organization has a lot of volunteers. I commend you on the work you're doing.

I have the same question for you.

Are you familiar with the delivery accommodation program? It's to help people with functional limitations access their mail.

Canada Post can provide home delivery to customers who have difficulty going to their mailbox, for example.

[Mariève Piché]

No, I have to admit I'm not aware of that program.

Is it through Canada Post?

[Pauline Rochefort, Liberal, Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON]

Yes, it's a Canada Post program.

[Mariève Piché]

We are not familiar with it, unfortunately.

[Pauline Rochefort, Liberal, Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON]

Ms. Monger, at the Golfe‑du‑Saint‑Laurent regional county municipality, or RCM, are you familiar with the service?

[Karine Monger]

No, I'm not familiar with it either.

[Pauline Rochefort, Liberal, Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON]

I see.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[Karine Monger]

Thank you.