Here in rural Alberta, we do not have a street address like folks in towns and cities do. It’s either a box number in a community mailbox at the intersection of two roads or a rural route mailbox along the side of the road.
While we also have an emergency number at our driveways, it’s only used by police, fire and ambulance services.
Courier companies do not deliver in rural areas.
If they can get you on the phone, they will ask where they can leave the parcel for you to pick up.
Sometimes they will deliver to their agent/dropoff in a town (often just a back room in a business such as a flower shop). Then we are expected to put cash in an envelope for the driver to pick up or he won’t leave the parcel.
Only then can we go pick up the parcel. However, if they do not have your phone number and you don’t intercede by emailing them or phoning them, your parcel could be deemed undeliverable or abandoned and then you may never get your parcel!
All Canadians are supposed to be equal!
Some of us are complaining to our politicians. We want equal treatment!
It’s time that our governments laid down the law to these courier companies.
I’m asking all rural people to write or email their MLA, their MP, the premier and prime minister today.
If we get enough people to do this, then maybe the politicians will take this issue seriously.
Daryl Watson
Red Deer County