Domestic Rates and Fees
1911 - 1928
George V (1865 - 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India from May 6, 1910 until his death in 1936. The first series of Canadian George V definitives featured an engraved portrait of the King in full dress uniform of an Admiral of the fleet. The release of the new issue, the "Admirals", began in December 1911. The Admirals were current for more than sixteen years.The following rates and services are dealt with in this post:
1. Letter
2. Post Card
3. Printed Matter
4. Registration
5. Acknowledgment of Receipt
6. Special Delivery
7. Money Letters
1. Letter
a) Forward
i) To April 14, 1915
The forward (out-of-town) letter rate was 2 cents for each ounce.
Merriton to Greenwood, December 2, 1912
Tor. & N. F. R.P.O. cancellation
2 cents forward letter rate
Halifax to Arichat, July 4, 1914
2 cents forward letter rate
Bell Telephone, Toronto to Peterborough, March 31, 1914
2 cents coil paying the forward letter rate
ii) April 15, 1915 - June 30, 1926
In 1915, pursuant to The Special War Revenue Act, a war tax was imposed on certain classes of mail:
On every letter and postcard for transmission for any distance within Canada and on every letter and postcard not intended for transmission through the mails but for posting and delivery at the same post office.
Winnipeg to Regina, March 21, 1916
2 cent forward letter rate + 1 cent War Tax
The stamp ( 1T¢) combined the postage and the War tax
Toronto to Ottawa, May 28, 1918
2 cent forward letter rate + 1 cent War Tax
The stamp ( 1T¢) combined the postage and the War tax
Toronto to Hamilton, February 21, 1920
2 cent forward letter rate + 1 cent War Tax
Way Letter
Letters posted out of course such as those given to letter carriers for posting were called "Way Letters"
Way Letter
Toronto, July 15,1915
Way Letter handstamp
Patriotic emblem on back of envelope
Canada Explosives Limited Montreal to Kingston, N.S., April 4, 1921
4 cents two ounce letter rate + 1 cent War Tax
Canada Explosives Limited perfin
House of Assembly (Ontario Legislature) to Hamilton, May 3, 1926
2 cent forward letter rate + 1 cent War Tax
2 cents forward letter rate + 1 cent War Tax
Vancouver to Montreal, Febraury 23, 1925
9 cents paying the 4 ounce letter rate : 3 cents for the 1st ounce and 6 cents for the next 3 ounces at 2 cents each added ounce
9 cents paying the 4 ounce letter rate
iii) July 1, 1926 - June 30, 1931
The War Tax on forward letters was removed on July 1, 1926.
Fort William to Toronto, October 14, 1927
2 cents forward letter rate
Medicine Hat and Nelson R.P.O. to Waterloo, January 10, 1928
2 cent forward letter rate
Mutual Life Assurance perfin
Toronto to Kerwood, May 23, 1928
4 cents forward letter rate for 2 ounces
b) Local Letter
i) To April 14, 1915
The local (drop) letter rate was 1 cent per ounce.
Hamilton drop letter, April 17, 1912
b) From April 15, 1915
A War Tax of 1 cent was added to the local letter rate.
Toronto drop letter, House of Assembly, December 3, 1918
1 cent drop letter rate + 1 cent War Tax
Hamilton drop letter, October 24, 1917
1 cent drop letter rate + 1 cent War Tax
Steel Company of Canada perfin
Redirected
Redirected letters were not liable to any additional postage provided the change of address did not require the letter to be sent to any place to which the postage rate was higher. If the change required a higher rate, additional postage had to be prepaid or postage due charges collected on delivery. Only the single deficiency was charged.
North Bay drop letter, February 2, 1921
Redirected to Hamilton
Charged 1 cent due, the difference between the local rate and the forward letter rate.
1 cent postage due stamp cancelled with Hamilton General Delivery handstamp
War Tax not removed for drop letters
The 1 cent War Tax was removed for forward letters on June 30, 1926, but was retained for drop letters.
Waterloo drop letter, April 2, 1928
1 cent drop letter rate + 1 cent War Tax
2. Post Card
a) To April 14, 1915
The domestic post card rate was 1 cent.
Strathroy to Mount Bridges, April 7, 1913
1 cent post card rate
Mount Bridges squared circle receiver
April 8, 1913
Unpaid post card, Winnipeg to Balliboro, March 14, 1914
1 cent post card rate
Due written in black crayon
RETURNED FOR POSTAGE handstamp (covered by stamp)
Winnipeg Branch Dead Letter Office (DLO) handstamp, March 8, 1912
There was no return address on the card. 1 cent stamp affixed by Winnipeg DLO and cancelled March 8, 1912. The card was forwarded to Toronto DLO then to Ballieboro.
b) From April 15, 1915
On April 15, 1915, a 1 cent War Tax was added to the post card rate.
Thamesville to Ingersoll, April 2, 1918
1 cent post card rate + 1 cent War Tax
Waterloo to Kitchener, March 29, 1926
1 cent post card rate + 1 cent War Tax
Shortpaid 1 cent and taxed double the deficiency
2 cents postage due stamp cancelled at Kitchener
Welland to Willowdale, February 1, 1929
1 cent post card rate + 1 cent War Tax
3. Printed Matter
The domestic 3rd class printed matter rate was 1 cent for each 2 ounces.
Toronto to Prescott, June 20, 1914
1 cent printed matter rate
War Tax was not added to printed matter items.
Hamilton local printed matter post card, May 22, 1915.
Department of Public Highways to Tyrone, January 1919
Dater completely blank
Tyrone receiver, January 6, 1919
Halifax to Kingston, N.S., July 24, 1924
1 cent printed matter rate
Returned Printed Matter
Undeliverable printed matter was returned to the sender. The return fee was the printed matter rate of the item.
Peterboro to Toronto, September 16, 1925
1 cent Peterboro precancel paying the 1 cent printed matter rate
Toronto handstamp : "Not at address/ return to sender"
Numeral 1 due handstamp
Householder Mail
Local Distribution
The rate for printed circulars up to one ounce mailed for local distribution to householders was 1/2 cent for each circular.
Kitchener circular mail, November 30, 1926
37 cents prepaid the delivery of 74 circulars
Forward Distribution
1926 Federal Election
Prime Minister Arthur Meighen, leader of the Liberal Conservative party (later named the Progressive Conservative party) faced the electorate on September 14, 1926 and was defeated by Mackenzie King.
Election advertising circulars from Toronto to be delivered at Norwich, Ontaio
1 cent per circular
$1.86 paying the circular rate for 186 items
Business Reply Mail
The business reply post card rate for cards sent out as an enclosure with matter mailed to a Canadian address was 1/2 cent. The rate was introduced on April 12, 1924.
Kinnear's Mills to Toronto, March 30, 1925
1/2 cent business reply card rate
Printed Matter Post Card with Attached Business Reply Card
Business reply card were commonly attached to post card mailed at the printed matter rate. In the example below, the business reply card remained attached to the printed matter card.
Opened Printed Matter Side:
Ottawa to Montreal Road (Ottawa), July 18, 1924
Opened Showing the Business Reply Side:
4. Registration Fee
a) To July 31, 1924
The registration fee was 5 cents.
Orillia to Toronto, October 28, 1913
2 cents forward letter rate + 5 cents registration fee
1 cent local letter rate + 5 cents registration fee
War Tax Period
2 cents forward letter rate + 1 cent War Tax + 5 cents registration fee
2 cents local letter rate ( 1 cent postage + 1 cent War Tax + 5 cents registration fee
Welland to Toronto, April 27, 1917
2 cents forward letter rate + 1 cent War Tax + 5 cents registration fee
Rosenfield to Winnipeg, September 14, 1919
2 cents forward letter rate + 1 cent War Tax + 5 cents registration fee
b) From August 1, 1924
A graduated scale of registration fees was introduced on August 1, 1924.
Nanaimo to Victoria, November 2, 1926
2 cents forward letter rate + 10 cents registration fee
5. Acknowledgment of Receipt (Advice of Delivery)
a) To October 20, 1921
The Acknowledgment of Delivery fee was 5 cents
Registered mail from Soda Creek to Regina, January 10, 1915, acknowledged January 15, 1915
b) From October 21, 1921
The Acknowledgment of Receipt fee was increased from 5 cents to 10 cents.
Registered mail sent from Regina to Bangor, Sask., December 11, 1923
Acknowledged Bangor, December 14, 1923
Registered letter from Regina to Holdfast, Sask., November 2, 1925
Acknowledged Holdfast, November 4, 1925
6. Special Delivery
a) To July 31, 1921
The special delivery fee was 10 cents.
Toronto to London, March 5, 1915
2 cents forward letter rate + 10 cents special delivery fee
Preston to Toronto, September 3, 1916
19 cents letter rate for 9 ounce letter (see below) + 10 cents special delivery fee
b) From August 1, 1921
The special delivery fee was increased from 10 cents to 20 cents on August 1, 1921. The 20 cents special delivery stamp was issued on August 21, 1922.
Montreal local special delivery letter, September 22, 1921
1 cent local letter rate + 1 cent War Tax + 20 cents special delivery fee
A pair of 10 cent special delivery stamps used to pay the fee because the 20 cent special delivery stamp had not been issued yet.
Paris to Toronto, January 8, 1923
2 cents forward letter rate + 1 cent War Tax + 20 cents special delivery fee
Ottawa to Cornwall, June 22, 1927
2 cents forward letter rate + 20 cents special delivery fee
7. Money Packets
a) To March 31, 1922
The money packet rate was the same as the domestic forward letter rate plus the registration fee.
Merchants' Bank of Canada tag
Winnipeg to Melville, Saskatchewan, April 15, 1914
$1.03 paying the 49 ounce registration rate
49 ounces @ 2 cents/ounce................0.98
Registration fee......................................0.05
TOTAL..................................................$1.03
b) April 1, 1922 - June 30, 1926
The money packet rate was 16 cents for the first ounce and 5 cents for each subsequent ounce. The fee included registration.
[Not Shown]
c) From July 1, 1926
The money packet rate was 15 cents for the first ounce and 5 cents for each subsequent ounce. The fee included registration.
Montreal to St. Johns, Quebec, March 16, 1927
$2.80 paying the 54 ounce money packet rate
1st ounce......................................................15 cents
Next 53 ounces @ 5 cents/ounce...........265 cents