Faster Than Regular Mail : 1967 - 1993

 During the 1967 to 1993 period, Canada Post introduced several faster than regular mail services in addition to Special Delivery. This article looks at the development of fast mail from the Centennial period to 1993, and is organized as follows:

A. Special Delivery : 1967 - 1993
B. Special Letter : 1989 - 1993
C. Xpresspost : From 1993
D. Priority Post : from 1978

A. Special Delivery : 1967 - 1993

In the late 1970s, a Canada Post promotional pamphlet said this about its Special Delivery service:

Special Delivery is an interurban Special Service that gives you our fastest service from arrival at the destination post office to the addressee.
Special Delivery is delivered by messenger, letter carrier or lock box, whichever is the fastest service. You can use Special Delivery for $ .60 plus First Class postage. Special Delivery stickers are available at all post offices in Canada.

 Until December 31, 1987, the Special Delivery fee was uniform for mail addressed to all Canadian destinations. This changed on January 1, 1988 when a two-tiered fee was introduced :

A. The postal codes of the post office of posting and the post office of delivery had the same first letter
B. The postal codes of the post office of posting and the post office of delivery did not  the same first letter

 Special Delivery service was replaced by Xpresspost service on September 1, 1993.

1. June 1, 1967 - August 31, 1976 : 40 cents

Downsview to Guelph, March 20, 1975

8 cents letter rate + 40 cents Special Delivery fee

2. September 1, 1976 -March 31, 1978 : 60 cents

Toronto local letter,March 3, 1977

12 cents letter rate + 60 cents Special Delivery fee

3. April 1, 1978 - March 31, 1979 : 80 cents

Mississauga to Edmonton, August 14, 1978

14 cents letter rate + 80 cents Special Delivery Fee

4. April 1, 1979 - January 14, 1983 : $1.00

Islington to London,  January 4, 1983

30 cents letter rate + $1.00 Special Delivery Fee

5. January 15, 1983 - June 23, 1985 : $1.06

Harystown, Nfld. to Calgary, September 23, 1983

32 cents letter rate + $1.06 Special Delivery Fee

Toronto to Member of Parliament, Ottawa, April 15, 1965

Postage free + $1.06 Special Delivery fee

$1.06 Special Delivery fee

6. June 24, 1985 - December 31, 1987 : $1.96

Toronto local letter, August 17, 1985

34 cents letter rate + $1.96 Special Delivery fee

Two-tier Special Delivery Fee Service

A. The postal codes of the post office of posting and the post office of delivery had the same first letter
B. The postal codes of the post office of posting and the post office of delivery did not  the same first letter

7.  January 1, 1988 - December 31, 1990

A. Same first letters in Postal Code : $1.83

St. Victoire de Beauce (G5K) to Quebec City (G7K), July 20, 1988

37 cents letter rate + $1.83 Special Delivery fee

B. Not same letters in Postal Code : $2.63

Montreal (H4E) to Quebec (G1K), April 22, 1989

38 cents letter rate + $2.63 Special Delivery Fee

8. January 1, 1991 - August 31, 1993

A. Same first letters in Postal Code : $ 1.85

North Vancouver (V7K) to Lytton (V0K), July 2, 1991

40 cents postage + $1.85 Special Delivery fee

B. Not same letters in Postal Code : $2.65

 Chateauguay (J6K) to Niagara Falls (L2E) , May 27, 1992

 $3.07 paying 42 cents letter rate + $2.65 special delivery fee

B. Special Letter : 1989 -1993

 Canada Post Special Letter pamphlet

Special Letter service guaranteed local delivery on the next business day, and two business days between most major Canadian centres. Three options were available:

1. Special Letter envelopes
2. Special Occasion envelopes
3. Special Lettermail labels


1. Special Letter Envelope (Standard)

Red envelopes were used for delivery within the sender's Postal Code area. Blue envelopes were for use anywhere in Canada outside the sender's Postal Code Area.

The small blue Special Envelope (41-016-276 (89-06)) shown below sold for $2.45 each or $12.45 for a package of 6.

 Barrington, N.S. to Toronto, November 1, 1989

Accepting Office and Receiving Office cancellations

Special Lettermail  Handstamp

Toronto South M4L 3T0, November 3, 1989

2. Special Occasion Envelope 

Festive decorations were printed on the Special Occasion envelopes and customers were provided with stickers to customize their greeting. Special Occasion envelopes were given the same service as the standard envelopes and could be used anywhere in Canada.

It is interesting to note that Special Occasion envelopes were cheaper than standard envelopes. When first issued, the Special Occasion envelopes sold for $1.95 while the Blue Special Letter envelope sold for $2.45.

 Happy Valley, Labrador to Windsor, Ont., October 11, 1991

Special Letter and Special Occasion Letter service was replaced by another guaranteed delivery service  called "Xpresspost" on September 1, 1993. Xpresspost labels were applied to Special letter envelopes still in stock.


 3.  Special Lettermail Labels

 

a) July 4, 1989 - December 31, 1989

i)Same first letter in Postal Code : $1.82

Colbourne (K0K) to Trenton (K8V), August 25, 1989

38 cents letter rate + $1.82 Special Lettermail fee

ii) Not Same First Letter in Postal Code : $2.62

Quebec City (H7H) to Montreal (G1K), December 7, 1989

38 cents letter rate + $2.62  Special Lettermail fee

b) January 1, 1990 - December 31, 1990

Not Shown

c) After January 1, 1991

Special Letternail was replaced by Special Delivery on January 1, 1991.

Calgary (T2E) to Toronto (M9W), May 10, 1991

40 cents letter rate + $2.65 Special Delivery fee

C. Xpresspost

Xpresspost sevvice was the guaranteed letter service which replaced Special Delivery service and Special Letter/Ocassion envelopes on September 1, 1993. Xpresspost included delivery confirmation through a toll-free automated telephone system. Fees were based on weight and distance. For example, there were 7 postal code delivery zones.

The service standard was within 1 or 2 business days between most major Canadian centres. If not delivered to the service standard, a replacement product was provided or shipping charges were refunded.

Frankford (Postal Code "K") to North York (Postal Code "M"), July 29, 1994

$2.50 Xpresspost fee

St. Catharines (Postal Code "L") to Scarborough (Postal Code "M"). August 31, 1995

$2.75 Xpressost fee

Xpresspost is a service still provided by Canada Post.

D. Priority Post

On May 1, 1978, Canada Post implemented Priority Post, a next day scheduled parcel post delivery service, available between designated post officesto compete with courier services. Priority Post rates were based on the location of the addressee and  the weight of the item.  In 1984, Priority Post courier envelopes were introduced  (not shown in this post).

 

Mississauga to Toronto, January 14, 1984
$7.42 Priority Post rate

St-Leonard to Markham, September 29, 1986

$5.10 Priority Post rate

International Priority Post

Willowdale to Munich, June 13, 1986

Meter paying  $29.68 Priority Post rate for 500g 

In 1987, stamps or meter impressions were no longer affixed to the item as we see in the above examples. Postage was applied to that part of the Priority Post form retained by the post office.

Today, Canada Post offers "Priority" service.

Domestic Acknowledgment of Receipt : 1967 - 1989

This post deals with the domestic acknowledgment of receipt (AR) fees  from 1967 to 1989. AR  limited to the Centennial period 1967 - 1973 was the subject of an earlier post. In this article, we look at domestic AR in the post-Centennial period.

1. June 1, 1967 - August 31, 1976 : 15c / 25c

a)  AR fee paid on AR card

Acknowledgment of receipt of item mailed from Prince George to Whte Horse, May 5, 1975

15 cents AR fee

Item mailed from Scarborough to Agincourt, January 19, 1976

AR card sent subsequent to mailing, January 20, 1976

25 cents subsequent AR fee (meter)

b) AR fee oaid on the item

Some time in 1976, Canada Post using AR cards with postage paid indicia. The AR fee was now to be paid on the item mailed and not on the AR card.

Ville St. Georges to Scarborough, September 18, 1976

8 cents letter rate + 50 cents registration fee + 15 cents AR fee (83 cents)

AR Card Postage Paid

The card shown below was a 1985 printing.

2.  September 1, 1976 -March 31, 1978 : 20c/30c

Blake Lake, P.Q., to Rexdale, November 30, 1977

12c letter rate + $1.00 registration fee + 20c AR fee ($1.32)

Peterborough to Toronto, September 27, 1977

A-R handstamp on front of envelope

20c letter rate (up to 2 oz.) + $1.00 registration fee + 20c AR fee ($1.40)

3. April 1, 1978 - March 31, 1979 : 30c/ 50c

Not shown

4. April 1, 1979 - December 31, 1981 : 40c / 60c

Richmond to St. Catharines, November 23, 1979

17c letter rate + $1.50 registration fee + 40c AR fee ($2.07)

60c paying the subsequent AR fee

The AR card was mailed from Orillia to Pointe Claire, March 11, 1981, regarding a registered item sent on December 9, 1980. Pointe Claire P.O. acknowledged delivery on March 17, 1981.

5. January 1, 1982 - January 14, 1983 : 50c/ 75c

Moose Jaw to Peterborough, April 19, 1982

30c letter rate ("A" stamp) + $1.85 registration fee + 50c AR fee ($2.65)

6. January 15, 1983 - June 23, 1985 : 53c / 80c

 Regina local letter, June 20 1985

32c letter rate  + $1.96 registration fee + 53c AR fee

7. June 24, 1985 - March 31, 1987 : 56c / 85c

 St-Paul d'Industrie to Montreal, March 2, 1987

34c letter rate + $2.46  registration fee + 56c AR fee ($3.26 - 4c convenience overpayment)

Regina local letter, May 16, 1986

 $3.26 : 34c letter rate + $2.46  registration fee + 56c AR fee

8.  April 1, 1987 - December 31, 1987 :  80c / $1

Montreal to Markham, July 14, 1987 (AR card not returned)

36c letter rate + $2.63 registration fee + 60c AR fee ($3.59)

 AR card attached to letter, not mailed to addressee

9.  January 1, 1988 - December 31, 1989 : 62c / $1.03

Not shown.