9. Reduced International Letter Rates : Mexico, Cuba, West Indies and Central America, France, South America, and Spain

 

The Universal Postal Union has permitted postal authorities to establish restricted Unions and make special agreements among themselves concerning the matters covered by the UPU Convention and Regulations. This provision allowed Canada to set lower letter rates to the United Kingdom and the British Empire/ Commonwealth, the United States, Mexico, France, the North and South American Continents, and Spain.

The chart below lists when reduced letter rates to Mexico,  Cuba, West Indies and Central America, South America, France, French Colonies, and Spain were introduced.


The reduced letter rates were the same as the domestic letter rates.


1971 UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL LETTER RATE

The reduced letter rates to Mexico, France, North and South American Continents, and Spain, were abolished on July 1, 1971 and replaced with the  15 cents per ounce "all-up"international letter rate.


Reduced Rate Covers

Shown below are covers showing some of the reduced rates.

Mexico : From January 1, 1905

 
Toronto to Puerto Mexico, January 16, 1940
 3 cents paying the 2 cents letter rate to Mexico + 1 cent War Tax


 Toronto to Mexico City, December 24, 1943
4 cents paying the 2 cents letter rate to Mexico + 2 cents War Tax

Cuba : From January 1, 1923

Canada Official Postal Guide, Monthly Supplement, December 1922

Toronto to Havana, August 12, 1927
2 cents paying the 2 cents letter rate to Cuba  

Havana receiver, August 16, 1927 

West Indies and Central America : From July 1, 1926



Canada Official Postal Guide, Monthly Supplement, July, 1926


 London to Petionville, Haiti, August 27, 1951


4 cents letter rate to Haiti (the "Americas")

France : From June 1929

Starting in June, 1929, the letter rate to France was the same as the domestic letter rate.

Canada Official Postal Guide Monthly Supplement June, 1929
Postmasters will please note that, effective immediately, the rate of postage on letters from Canada to France is 2 cents for each ounce or fraction thereof-single postcards two cents each. Other postage rates to France remain unchanged.

Reduced rates to some French colonies were announced in February 1930:


The reduced letter rate to St. Pierre was introduced on July 1, 1926.

To June 30, 1931 : 2 cents each ounce

Winnipeg to Chennevieres, France, September 3, 1929
2 cents preferential letter rate to France


 Winnipeg to Serqueux, France, September 12, 1930
2 cents letter rate to France


July 1, 1931 - March 31, 1943 : 3 cents for the  1st ounce (2 cents letter rate + 1 cent War Tax)


Montreal to Gonesse, November 12, 1932
3 cents paying 2 cents letter rate to France + 1 cent War Tax


Montreal to Rennes,
3 cents paying 2 cents letter rate to France + 1 cent War Tax



Ottawa to Saint-Maur, France, December 15, 1935
3 cents paying 2 cents letter rate to France + 1 cent War Tax


Montreal to Saint Pierre, Saint Pierre et Miquelon, June 30, 1942
3 cents paying 2 cents letter rate to France + 1 cent War Tax


Sherbrooke to Secteur Postal 390 (aux Armées), France, May 9, 1940
3 cents paying 2 cents letter rate to France + 1 cent War Tax


 Montreal to Nice (Vichy France), March 20, 1941
3 cents paying 2 cents letter rate to France + 1 cent War Tax


April 1, 1943 - June 30, 1951 : 4 cents for the  1st ounce (2 cents letter rate + 2 cent War Tax)


 Montreal to Orleans, February 7, 1945
4 cents paying 2 cents letter rate to France + 2 cents War Tax

 
 Charlottetown to St. Pierre and Miquelon, November 11, 1946
4 cents paying 2 cents letter rate to France + 2 cents War Tax


  St. Catharines to Paris, December 2, 1947
4 cents paying 2 cents letter rate to France + 2 cents War Tax


 July 1, 1951 - March 31, 1954 : 4 cents for the first ounce (War Tax incorporated into postage rate)

  Montreal to Paris, November 30, 1953
4 cents letter rate to France

April 1, 1954 - October 31, 1968 : 5 cents for the first ounce



Ottawa to Houilles, France, December 5, 1966
5 cents letter rate to France

November 1, 1968 - June 30, 1971 : 6 cents for the first ounce


 Moose Jaw to Nice, France, July 29, 1969
6 cents reduced surface letter rate to France


South America : From December 25, 1929

The preferred postage rate to South America was introduced on December 25, 1929 and applied to the following countries:

Argentine Republic, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, The Guineas, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela


Canada Official Postal Guide, Monthly Supplement, January 1930



Ottawa to Santa Marta, Colombia, December 12, 1930
2 cents per ounce letter rate
4 cents paying the 2 oz. preferred letter rate to South America


Niagara Falls to Buenos Aires, Argentina, February 28, 1939
3 cents paying the 2 cent letter rate to South America + 1 cent War Tax


Montreal to Sao Paulo, Brazil
3 cents paying the 2 cent letter rate to South America + 1 cent War Tax


 Montreal to Buenos Aires, Argentina, January 12, 1943
3 cents paying the 2 cent letter rate to South America + 1 cent War Tax


 Ottawa to Buenos Aires, Argentina, May 14, 1943
4 cents paying the 2 cent letter rate to South America + 2 cent War Tax


  Hamilton to Rio de Janiero, Brazil, January 3, 1947
4 cents paying the 2 cent letter rate to South America + 2 cent War Tax


 Brantford to Sao Manuel, Brazil, June 11, 1950
4 cents paying the 2 cent letter rate to South America + 2 cent War Tax


 Niagara-on-the-Lake to Guayaquil, Ecuador, February 25, 1954
4 cents letter rate to South America
 
 Ottawa to Buenos Aires, Argentina, May 30, 1954
5 cents letter rate to South America
(Correspondence from Louis St-Laurent, Prime Minister of Canada)


 Windsor- Walkerville to Buenos Aires, November 11, 1959


Spain : From March, 1932

Effective March 1, 1932, the letter and postcard rate to Spain and some Spanish Colonies was the same as the domestic rates.

Canada Official Postal Guide Monthly Supplement March, 1932
  

 Perth to San Sebastian, Spain, July 15, 1952
4 cents letter rate to Spain


1971 UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL LETTER RATE

The reduced letter rates to Mexico, France, North and South American Continents, and Spain, were abolished on July 1, 1971 and replaced with the  15 cents per ounce "all-up"international letter rate.