Iqaluit's Canada Post opens bigger parcel pick-up location in time for holiday rush

Just over a year sinceCanada Post opened its first run-off site for parcel pick-up in Iqaluit, it has closed it and moved to a bigger location.

On Tuesday, Canada Post opened 1057 Mivvik Street for customers to pick up parcels, in addition to the main location.

The new location is directly across from the Navigator Inn, in the same building as Baffin Gas, with the door along the side of the building.

The post office has now closed house 760, which was about 100 metres from the main location. The corporation rented the house last April to deal with a backlog of parcels after a series of blizzards. It was reopened during the busy holiday season.

• Iqaluit post office rents house to ease post-blizzard mail rush
• New hours, parcel pickup options at Iqaluit post office ahead of Christmas rush

Last year,Dec. 5 was a record-breaking day for Canada Post when it delivered 1.5 million parcels across Canada.The Iqaluit location is one of Canada Post's busiest offices.

As well as holiday gifts, some Iqaluit residents rely on parcel delivery for groceries, diapers and other essentials fromonline retailers to help manage the costs of northern living.

• Amazon Prime does more for northern food security than federal subsidies, say Iqaluit residents

Sue Browning, Canada Post's local area manager for Nunavut, says parcel volume is increasing 17 per centevery year in Nunavut.

As of Wednesday,customers' parcel pick-up cards will have the new address on them. Parcels will continue to be housed in both the main location and now 1057. At the moment,Browning says, both locations are full.

Both locations will continue to operate on the same hours from 8:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday, but over the holiday season Browning says they will add Saturday hours from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Canada Post acquired the new building on Dec. 1 and worked quickly to open it salting, sanding, and adding lighting to ensure safe access for customers.