Canada Post has announced it will temporarily suspend the implementation of all new community mailboxes.

In a news release Monday afternoon, the Crown corporation said it plans to work with the Canadian government “to determine the best path forward given the ongoing challenges faced by the Canadian postal system.”

Canada Post said all planned conversions beginning in November will be placed on hold, affecting some 460,000 addresses across the country.

“Customers impacted by this decision will receive a letter within the next few weeks advising them of the status of their mail delivery service,” the note said.

Neighbourhoods that have already converted to community mailboxes will not get their door-to-door service restored under the current plan. That includes customers set to begin receiving their mail and parcels in their boxes in October.

The announcement comes as thousands of North Shore residents started walking to a community mailbox to get their mail Monday morning.

Home delivery has ended in several areas including Laval des Rapides, St. Jerome, Blainville and Ste. Therese.

Prime Minister-designate Justin Trudeau campaigned on a promise to save home delivery.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers said it's pleased with the news. Union president Mike Palecek said it will push the incoming Liberal government to reverse the cuts already made to postal service.

"For sure we have to change the postal service, but we must protect door-to-door service for the customers," added Alain Robitaille, the CUPW's Save Canada Post Campaign Coordinator. "The first step: First, Canadians must be able to speak about their postal services."

Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre, who has been fighting the community mailboxes from the start -- even taking a jackhammer to a slab of concrete in protest of the mailboxes -- is pleased with the decision.

"There is an issue because of a lack of mobility, because of the density of the city in certain areas, you cannot put all those ugly boxes," he said, adding that there is now political will in Ottawa to better manage the mail.

"We should all sit together and have a better way and put all the options on the table."

When asked if he was keeping his jackhammer at the ready -- just in case -- Coderre said no.

"Jackhammer? It's one slab a mandate," he said.

With files from The Canadian Press