Lettermail™

1

What Is Lettermail?

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Lettermail is the most convenient and cost-effective way in Canada to send personal messages, business correspondence, invoices, and billing statements within Canada.

Lettermail can include:

• a letter
• a postcard
• a card
• a receipt or invoice
• notice of voting for federal, provincial or municipal events
• a self-mailer
• an annual, semi-annual or quarterly report (or similar document containing financial information)
• product/service information
• a CD or DVD
• flexible magnets
• dry biological specimens (see section 3.2.1 “Suggestions for How to Package and Wrap Items” of “ABCs of Mailing - Personal”)
• any other mail that the sender chooses to post at the Lettermail price and which meets the regulatory requirements.

Lettermail falls into three (3) categories:

• Standard – mail that meets the size and weight requirements detailed in Table 1.
• Medium – mail that meets the size and weight requirements detailed in Table 1.
• Other Lettermail (Non-standard/Oversize) – mail that does not qualify as Standard Mail and which does not exceed the maximum size and weight requirements detailed in Table 1.

2

Unacceptable Items

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The following items cannot be mailed as Standard or Medium size Lettermail:

• bottle caps
• coins
• food stuffs
• glass
• jewellery
• keys
• liquids
• pencils
• pens
• powders
• seeds
• anything fragile or perishable
• anything that may soil or harm other mail, postal equipment, or can cause injuries to persons handling them.

The above items may only be mailed as Other Lettermail (Non-standard/Oversize) and the applicable price shall be charged.

3

Enclosures

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Enclosures are acceptable as long as they are securely wrapped to prevent loss of or damage to the items, damage to postal equipment or the other mail and injury to persons handling them.

A Business Reply Mail item may be enclosed in Lettermail provided the customer has signed the appropriate Agreement with Canada Post.

Repositionable Notes (RPN) – repositionable notes is an option that allows mailers to affix an adhesive note to the outside of a Lettermail item (excluding polybags). Visit canadapost.ca/postalstandards for additional information on the requirements and placement of repositionable notes.

4

Size and Weight

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Each Lettermail item must meet the size and weight specifications shown in Table 1.

4.1

Format

Standard and Medium size Lettermail envelopes and self-mailers must be fully sealed on all sides. Customers mailing unsealed envelopes or brochures, fanfolds or newsletters not enclosed in envelopes, will be charged the applicable Other Lettermail price.

When supported by two level supports located no more than 10 mm from the left and right edges, Standard Lettermail may not sag more than 22 mm in the middle.

On an item of Standard Lettermail, graphics or other printing shall not be located in the following zones:

• all the areas to the right of the address block
• all the areas below the address block
• 19 mm high by 150 mm long, measured from the right edge along the bottom
• in the area prescribed for postage.

Additional regulatory requirements apply to Standard Lettermail paid by postage meter or postal indicia. Visit the Lettermail Regulations at http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/showtdm/cr/SOR-88-430 or visit canadapost.ca/postalstandards for information regarding format requirements for Lettermail.

5

Pricing Information

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To obtain information on pricing:

• see Canada Post Prices.

6

Payment Options

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6.1	Proofs of Payment

Table 2 lists the acceptable proofs of payment for Lettermail items. Some restrictions or conditions may apply.

6.2	Methods of Payment

Table 3 lists the acceptable methods of payment for Lettermail items. Some restrictions or conditions may apply.

For more information, see Paying For Your Mailing.

6.2.1

Government Mail Free of Postage

Government Mail Free of Postage allows for mail to be sent to and from the following individuals free of postage provided that both the sender and receiver are in Canada:

• the Governor General
• the Speaker or Clerk of the Senate or House of Commons
• the Parliamentary Librarian or the Associate Parliamentary Librarian
• Members of the Senate
• Members of the House of Commons
• the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner or Senate Ethics Officer.

For more information, see Government Mail Free of Postage of the Canada Postal Guide.

6.2.2

Literature for the Blind

Materials for the use of the blind mailed in Canada for delivery in Canada may be sent free of postage. See Literature for the Blind for more information.

7

Delivery Standards at a Glance

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The delivery standards are estimates of how long it will take for the mail to be delivered. These delivery standards are not guaranteed.

For a list of FSAs for Major Urban Centres and Non-Major Urban Centres, visit Delivery Standards of the Canada Postal Guide under section 4 “Parcel Services Domestic” Table 11.

8

Features

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A feature is something that is provided as part of the basic service. The available features are described below.

8.1	Redirection

Lettermail items that cannot be delivered as originally addressed will be redirected to the addressee while there is a Change of Address Notification (COAN) in effect.

8.2	Return to Sender

For Lettermail items that are undeliverable, or for which no Change of Address Notification (COAN) is in effect, these will be returned to the sender if a Canadian return address appears on the outside of the item. When the return address is on the inside of the item, it will be returned to the Customer for a fee.

9

Options

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An option is a service enhancement which is not included automatically as part of the basic service. The Customer must select the option by checking a box or affixing an additional label or sticker. Most options are available for an additional fee. The available options are described below.

9.1	Registered Mail

Registered Mail secures the signature of the addressee (or representative) and provides the sender with a proof of mailing, a copy of the signature and the date upon delivery of the item.

Bar-coded shipping labels allow Registered Mail items to be tracked. Delivery information is available, usually by noon on the business day following delivery, on Canada Post’s website, by contacting Customer Service at 1.888.550.6333, the EST or the Electronics Data Interchange, where links exist. Some exceptions apply in smaller centres.

Registered Mail offers Signature Copy, Delivery Confirmation and Coverage for loss or damage. For detailed information, see Registered Mail™ (Domestic).

9.2	Forward Under Cover

Letters forwarded under cover to a postmaster with a request for reposting must be endorsed “POSTED AT _______ UNDER COVER TO THE POSTMASTER AT ___________”. Items containing Lettermail prepaid by postage stamps that are sent under cover to the postmaster must bear the words “POSTMASTER, PLEASE OPEN FOR CANCELLATION AND PROCESSING” and are processed in the usual manner. The item containing the Lettermail must have the correct postage.

9.3	Do Not Forward

Do Not Forward is an option whereby a Lettermail item, which cannot be delivered as addressed because the addressee has filed a Change of Address Notification (COAN) with Canada Post, shall be returned to the sender and not forwarded to the addressee.

Do Not Forward is:

• subject to the Do Not Forward fee as specified in the Lettermail Price Sheet posted at canadapost.ca/rates. This fee will be applied to every item in the mailing that is endorsed with the Do Not Forward option regardless of the number of actual returned items.
• available for Lettermail Customers using Electronic Shipping Tools 2.0 or the Online version of EST to create an electronic Order (Statement of Mailing).
• subject to the Terms and Conditions for Lettermail posted at canadapost.ca/generalterms.

Lettermail Customers wishing to use the Do Not Forward option must:

1. Use Electronic Shipping Tools 2.0 or the Online version of EST to add the Do Not Forward option to an Order (Statement of Mailing), and
2. Apply the Do Not Forward endorsement (see Figure 1) to the front of each mail item (placed to the left and above the destination address, or in the upper left-hand corner below the return address). The Do Not Forward endorsement can be downloaded from canadapost.ca/indicia

10

Addressing

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See Addressing Guidelines for information on addressing. Additional regulatory requirements apply to Standard Lettermail paid by postage meter or postal indicia. Visit http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/showtdm/cr/SOR-88-430 for the Lettermail Regulations.

11

Mail Preparation and Presortation

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Lettermail must be securely wrapped to prevent loss of or damage to the item, damage to postal equipment or other mail and injury to persons handling the item.

12

Deposit of Lettermail

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Postage for Lettermail can be purchased at any post office. If sufficient postage (stamp or meter impression) is affixed to the item, it may be deposited in a street letter box, at any post office, in a community mailbox (CMB) or at a processing facility. Items with a postal indicia cannot be dropped into a street letter box and must be dropped off at a post office, facility or processing plant.

Items deposited after the last collection time specified on the street letter box or after the Canada Post-approved postal facility cut-off time, as applicable, are considered as being deposited on the next business day. Visit canadapost.ca/lmsupportdocuments for the list of facility cut-off times.

13

Delivery of Lettermail

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Lettermail items can be delivered to any of the following locations:

• to the door
• to a group mailbox
• to apartments and condominiums
• to a community mailbox
• to a rural mailbox
• to a post office box
• via general delivery
• via a container/bag service.