Canada post halts delivery on Lower Mainland due to extreme weather
Update: Service resumed on Wednesday, Dec. 21.
Canada Post has suspended delivery in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser valley due to snow and frigid temperatures.
The postal service issued a red service alert for the region due to the extreme weather Tuesday, saying it will remain in place as long as conditions are hazardous.
"Delivery will resume once conditions improve and it’s safe to do so. The safety of our employees is our number one priority," a news release said.
"An alert can be issued for a particular community or an entire province, depending on the weather event."
The stoppage comes on the same day as the deadline to ship packages locally by regular mail in time for delivery by Christmas. Xpresspost and priority mail options are available until Dec.22.
Regionally, the window for regular postage also closes Dec. 20. Regions are defined by Canada Post as: Atlantic, Central, Western, Nunavut East, Nunavut West, Northwest Territories and Yukon. The deadline for Xpress Post and priority mail is Dec. 21.
Local, regional, national and international deadlines for sending cards have already passed.
A spokesperson for Canada Post says last-minute shippers in B.C. who meet the deadlines will still see their packages delivered in time for Christmas.
"To ensure we deliver for Canadians, we’ve added seasonal staff, more vehicles and parking, and weekend delivery. This helps us keep up with holiday delivery volumes which make it the busiest time of year for Canada Post employees," an emailed statement said, noting nation-wide volumes can be as high as two million parcels per day.
"As we move into the final days, we have all hands on deck to help Canadians get their gifts under the tree on time."
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