News Releases

Canada Post to issue fundraiser stamp for mental health, launches the Canada Post Foundation for Mental Health

June 18, 2008

Moya Greene, President of Canada Post, today announced the formation of the Canada Post Foundation for Mental Health. The Foundation, which will be administered by an independent board of experts in the area of mental health, will receive funds raised by Canada Post and its employees, as well as by others, and direct the money to where it will do the most good for those directly affected by mental illness. The Foundation's aim is to raise awareness of the effect mental illness has on the lives of Canadians and work to eliminate the stigma that surrounds it, while supporting patients and their families dealing with mental illness.

As a first step in its fundraising efforts, Canada Post also announced a new commemorative PERMANENT^TM stamp supporting Mental Health. The stamp will carry a 10-cent donation, with that entire amount being directed to the Canada Post Foundation for Mental Health. The stamp will be issued on October 6, 2008 to coincide with Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW), sponsored by Canada Post.

"The goal is to raise one million dollars this year," Moya Greene told attendees at the company's Annual Public Meeting. "When it comes to investing in communities, I am particularly proud that we have decided to champion mental health as our cause of choice. We were the first major company to adopt this cause, which has too long been an orphan nobody wanted. I hope others will follow."

"We have plans to involve our more than 60,000 people from coast to coast to coast, as well as all Canadians. Working together, we will change the face of mental illness in Canada," said Ms. Greene.

Phil Upshall, national director of Mental Illness Awareness Week, applauded Canada Post's move. "Stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness are still perhaps among the most profound barriers to treatment, but with the leadership shown by Canada Post and its employees, I'm confident we're about to make a major difference in the lives and families - one in five Canadians - touched by mental illness. Canada Post should be very proud." Mr. Upshall has been named the first trustee of the new Canada Post Foundation for Mental Health.

Additional information on the Foundation and the company's fundraising efforts will follow at a later date.

About the stamp
As part of the company's pledge to raise awareness and funds for Mental Health, this PERMANENT™ domestic rate (52¢) fundraising stamp will be issued in October. A fundraising stamp includes a 10-cent additional donation to the face value, which will be directed towards mental health research and patient support. Paul Haslip of HM&E Design Communications designed the stamp, using an illustration by Jeff Jackson. The only other Canadian fundraising stamps were issued between 1974 and 1976 to support the Olympic Games in Montreal and in 1996 to support literacy in Canada.