(CANADA POST / HANDOUT)
The cost of mailing a first-class letter in Canada went up on Monday.
Canada Post has hiked the rate of a stamp to 85 cents from 63 cents — an increase of 35 percent.
The price change applies when customers buy stamps in bulk. A single first-class stamp on its own will now cost $1.
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) said the change will affect the 98 percent of small firms that send Lettermail every month.
“While we acknowledge that Canada Post has taken measures to reduce the pressure on business owners who rely on Lettermail, these changes don’t outweigh the added costs,” said Dan Kelly, CFIB’s president. “Two weeks ago, Canada Post announced a number of measures to offset the higher costs, including temporary discounts on stamps and making bulk mail pricing more accessible to small businesses.”
Canada Post announced the changes in December, at the same time plans were revealed to phase out door-to-door mail delivery in urban areas.
— With files from The Canadian Press
