Postal History Corner: Bulk Mail : 1971

Introduction to Bulk Mail

The Post Office provided a discount rate for quantity mailings of advertizing printed matter or "Bulk Mail". Payment of an item was generally indicated in two ways:

1. A permit indicium was printed or handstamped on the item.

2. A denominated meter impression was applied to the item.

Since permits and meters are generally not popular collectables, bulk mail tends to be ignored. Another reason for the lack of interest may be the fact that this type of mail is commonly referred to as "junk mail" and not considered to be of historical significance.

Bulk mail rates from 1964 to 1971 was the subject of an earlier post. This article is a continuation, taking us up to 1999.

Bulk Mail Rates

Rates until the mid-1980s were straightforward, but then became more complicated as different categories of bulk mail based on factors such as mail preparation and pre-sortation by the mailer were introduced by Canada Post :

Pre-Sortation Categories

Machinable Pre-Sort

NDG (National Distribution Guide) Pre-Sort

Letter Carrier Pre-Sort

Others

In the examples shown below, I have not identified pre-sortation categories, nor have I prepared a chart showing bulk mail rates from 1971 to 1999.

Denominated metered covers are used to show the rates in this article because permit mail is usually undated and undenominated. However, I have included examples of permit mail at the end of this posting.

5 cents for the first two ounces : July 1, 1971 - February 28, 1977

Montreal, April, 1976

5 cents first weight step

6 cents for the first two ounces : March 1, 1977 - March 31, 1977

Toronto, January 13, 1978

6 cents first weight step

7 1/2 cents : April 1, 1978 - March 31, 1979

Collectors are often surprised when they come across fractional rates. The 7 1/2 cent bulk mail rate was in effect for one year.

Toronto, August, 1978

9 cents

a) 2 ounces : April 1, 1979 - June 30, 1979

b) 50 grams (metrication) : July 1, 19799 - December 31, 1981

Toronto, January 4, 1980

9 cents bulk mail rate for 50 grams

From this point on, I will not be providing effective dates for the rate . Rates become complicated in this time period. Covers are shown in chronological order.

August 1986 : 15 cents

Toronto, August 1986

September 1989 : 17 1/2 cents

Heart and Stroke Foundation mailing with the following message printed on the envelope:

44% of the people reading this letter

will die from heart disease of stroke.

The improved "Ticker Test" inside will tell

you how to reduce your risk.

October 1989 : 21 cents

Mississauga, October, 1989

December 1990 : 18 cents

March , 1991 : 18 1/2 cents

February 1992 : 19 1/2 cents

Neither the term "BULK" or its abbreviation "BLK" appears on the envelope. However, a tiny "nbre", the abbreviation for "envois en nombre", the French expression for bulk mail was printed on the envelope. Could this have been an attempt by the mailer to hide the true nature of the correspondence?