Ontario Region Coordinator for the CUP-W, Derek Richmond, believes Canada’s rural post offices can be much more than they are currently.
Richmond says he would like to see the post offices lead the way in green energy with solar panels on buildings and electric car chargers at each outlet for their trucks and for the public at large.
However it would go beyond that, becoming a community hub, selling hunting and fishing licences and could become a drop-in centre for youth, seniors and other local groups.
Richmond says he’d like to see banking services return to post offices like before they ended in 1968.
He says the federal government has these suggestions in a report “The Way Forward,” a government review of Canada Post.
Richmond was after support of Saugeen Shores council on the suggested concepts.
Mayor Luke Charbonneau is not sure how much help the municipality would be, saying some of the things suggested are really between Canada Post and the federal government.
Nevertheless, the presentation was passed on to staff to come back with a report.
