The Santa Letter-writing program remains the company’s premier community involvement initiative. Since 1982, Santa's Post Office, supported by Canada Post (through the printing and distribution of some 1.6 million letters and envelopes) and by employees affectionately known as “Postal Elves”, has received and responded to more than 20 million letters from children around the world. What makes this effort all the more exceptional is the fact employees volunteer their time to help Santa respond to his mail. During the holiday season of 2011, more than a million letters were received at Santa's Post Office. Approximately 10,000 postal elves helped Santa answer over a million letters again this year as we celebrated the 30th anniversary of the national program and the 20 millionth letter received since the program’s start.

United Way is a strong and vital participant in helping build Canada's communities—the communities in which Canada Post employees work, live and play. In 2011, we raised more than $1.9 million for United Way. Through payroll deductions and local fundraisers, Canada Post employees have shown, once again, they want to help the less fortunate in their communities.

The Canada Post Foundation for Mental Health was established in 2008 to help raise awareness and to help build the capacity of the community organizations that support those affected with direct, frontline programs and services. We pledged to deliver hope—and we have. By the fall of 2012, more than $6.6 million in grants will have been distributed to more than 140 organizations across Canada. Thanks to the support of customers, employees, the company and the public, the Foundation’s grants will have touched lives in communities large and small, reflective of our company’s reach.

The Canada Post Community Literacy Awards celebrated the achievements of both adult learners and those who have helped them learn to read and write. In 2011, 46 qualified submissions were received; 26 finalists were chosen and of these, 13 winners were selected in individual achievement and educator categories.

In 2011, there were 108 donations of between $250 and $500, given to organizations that counted Canada Post employees among their volunteers, as part of our Coaching and Community Involvement Program.

An additional $103,730 was spent by other groups within Canada Post as part of their business development objectives. These sponsorships included support for: Toronto International Film Festival, Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, Canadian Marketing Association, National Advertising Awards and National Association of Major Mail Users.

Sponsorships and Donations

As a result of this transition year for the Community Investment program, a limited number of organizations received funding from Canada Post and some organizations, that had been sponsored by Canada Post for multiple years previously, were given one final year of support to allow them the opportunity to find alternate sponsors going forward. In total, $1.176 million was spent sponsoring the Canadian Freestyle Association, the Canadian Postal Museum, Le Festival Franco-Ontarien, the Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers and others. An additional $70,000 was donated to the United Way and various community groups.