Tag: Canada Post

Canada Post is planning to spend $1.7 billion to modernize its antiquated equipment as it anticipates riding a global wave of deregulation that has already struck many developed countries, particularly in Europe.

The expenditures to be carried out over five years would allow the Crown corporation to eliminate the “decrepit” equipment jokingly referred to as computorsaurs.

“The whole way in which we handle the mail is antiquated,” Canada Post CEO Moya Greene said in an interview Monday.

“We have equipment that most postal administrations haven’t used in 20 years.”

The new equipment, which has yet to be ordered, would help the mail carrier to adjust to the large number of employees who are expected to retire over the coming years, while honouring all its promises about job security.

It would also permit the replacement of some 7,000 trucks with more environmentally friendly vehicles.

Modernizing is a requirement for Canada Post as it positions itself for the market reality of new and greater competition, Greene said following a speech to the Canadian Club of Montreal.

Although she’s not asking the government to deregulate postal service in Canada, Greene said global trends suggest markets are becoming more liberalized with varying degrees of success.

Government officials couldn’t be reached for comment. But earlier this year, they denied any plans to privatize postal services.

Canada Post announced today during Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) that it will champion mental health in the workplace in response to the growing personal and public cost to Canada from the issue. In adopting mental health as the company’s cause-of-choice, Canada Post will work to raise awareness of the issue and urge businesses and government to do more to tackle it.

It is estimated that 20 per cent of Canadians will suffer from a mental illness at some time in their lives. The remaining 80 per cent will be affected by the mental illness of a family member, friend or colleague. (Source: Health Canada)

“We saw a real need to lead the way in bringing the issue of mental illness out into the open. Although mental illness affects all of us, you’ll have trouble getting people to talk about it and despite the substantial cost to their business, even companies are reluctant to tackle the issue,” said Moya Greene, President and CEO, Canada Post. “Mental illness and mental health have been neglected in Canada for far too long. It is time mental well-being is positioned prominently within both health and social policies. This company, and its employees are bold enough to bring this issue out of the darkness, from behind closed doors and into the public light where it can best be served.”

The growing phenomenon of workplace depression could cost the Canadian economy some $30-billion a year, not including treatment and healthcare costs, with $8 to $10-billion of that being due to absenteeism. Statistics show that approximately half-a-million Canadians are absent from work each week due to mental health problems. More than 35 per cent of work absences in Canada are caused by mental illness. Additionally, 30 to 40 per cent of disability claims are for mental illness and, by 2010, depression is forecast to become second only to cardiovascular disease as the leading cause of disability in the world. (Source: Mental Health Foundation and World Health Organization)