Suspending Canada Post's mailbox plan is not enough: Hamilton critics

Canada Post has announced it will temporarily suspend thecommunity mailbox program that was loudly contested in Hamilton, but its opponents aren't quite satisfied with the decision.

"They're a little bit late on the delivery but I'll take it," said Coun. Terry Whitehead on the suspension.

There's still hundreds of people affected by it adversely.- ProtestorHenryEvans-Tenbrinke

"Better late than never but I certainly support it. I'd still like to see legislative changes that prove clarity on who has final say."

All conversions planned for November and December 2015 and beyond will be placed on hold, which means any Hamilton communities that were supposed to get community mailboxes in the near future will continue to receive door-to-door mail

• READ MORE:Canada Post halts controversial community mailbox program
• READ MORE:Retiree sits at super mailbox every day to protest Canada Post

Work with government

If you're affected by this decision, you'll get a letter in the next few weeks with an explanation of your mail status, the release said.

"We will work collaboratively with the Government of Canada to determine the best path forward given the ongoing challenges faced by the Canadian postal system," Canada Post said in a press release.

Hamilton was among the most aggressive citiesin the country in opposing the Canada Post plan. It passed a bylawdictating that the corporation get a $200 permit for each community mailbox it wants to install on municipalproperty.

That bylaw ended up challenged in court, where the city lost in its bid to have some say over the placement of the boxes. It plans to appeal.Installation of the community mailboxes started on the Mountain last summer and includes some protests at the site of some of the installations.

10 year plan

The corporation's plan tophase out urban door-to-door mail delivery across the country, included for117,000 Hamilton homes over the next 10 years.

In neighbourhoods where the 10-month conversion process is complete, customers will continue to collect their mail at the community mailbox.

That's still a point of contention for one activist who spent over a month protesting the change by sitting in a lawn chair in front of community mailboxes.

"It's good that they're suspending it, but I don't think that it goes far enough," said protestor and retiree Henry Evans-Tenbrinke,.

"It's great for the people that haven't had (the community mailboxes) installed yet, but there's still hundreds of people affected by it adversely.

Evans-Tenbrinke, 60, lives in an area with a large number of retired people, many of whomlack the mobility to go to a community mailbox every day. He said he's going to continue fighting against the new system until door-to-door delivery is returned.

"We're going to be keeping an eye on Trudeau and keeping his feet to the fire about door-to-door delivery. But so far, it sounds like he's living up to his word."