'Stop with the nonsense': Montreal and Canada Post spar over Publisacs
The City of Montreal and Canada Post are facing off over Publisacs, as the postal service has no plans to halt delivery even though City Hall banned the distribution starting next spring.
"We ask Canada Post to stop with the nonsense," said Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante Thursday.
The mayor tried to convince the postal service to reverse course with a show-and-tell in Cote-des-Neiges-NDG, holding a news conference in front of 16 tons of paper — the amount of unwanted flyers she says are thrown away every week in the borough.
"Our request today is to tell Canada Post and the federal government to listen to what Montrealers want. They want to stop with the waste," said Plante.
According to the city, 80 per cent of residents toss Publisacs in the bin.
"We have to reach a goal of 75 per cent of recycling," said Massimo Iezzoni, director of the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (CMM), a planning, coordination and financing body representing the metropolis. "We’re actually at 57 per cent. So anything that can give us a gain in recycling, we have to do."
The bylaw banning the distribution takes effect in May 2023. Montrealers who still want them delivered can opt in and continue to receive the flyers in the mail.
Transcontinental, the company behind Publisacs, turned to Canada Post to distribute the flyers because Crown corporations are not bound by municipal regulations.
Canada Post did not respond to CTV News’ request for comment, but in a previous statement, it said it’s obligated to deliver all mail.
"It is our long-standing mandated responsibility, which means we are not in a position to pick and choose what mail is delivered," the company said previously.
Mayor Plante, however, disagreed.
"We went through the law and actually, it’s not true. If there is no address on the Publisac you don’t have to do it,” said the mayor.
Plante is not ruling out taking Canada Post to court.
"We will continue to fight," she said. "I can assure you of that."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Teen was doing homework at family's Mississauga, Ont. restaurant when gunman opened fire: testimony
The 13-year-old sister of a young man killed in the attack on her family’s Mississauga restaurant in 2021 took the stand in a Brampton courthouse on Monday to describe the terrifying moments of coming under fire.
'Repetitive partisan conduct': Conservatives to force vote on ousting Speaker Greg Fergus
The federal Conservatives have advanced a motion that will force MPs to vote on whether to oust Greg Fergus as House of Commons Speaker, after MPs' deputy adjudicator ruled Monday that the Liberal member's allegedly errant partisan event invite required urgent attention.
Trial for B.C. man accused of killing, dismembering wife begins
The trial for a Langley man accused of killing his wife began Monday, with the prosecutor laying out a disturbing series of facts agreed upon by both Crown and defence.
Robertson's hat-trick drives Stars to Game 3 win over Oilers
Jason Robertson's hat-trick goal midway through the third period broke a deadlock and proved to be the eventual winner as the Dallas Stars beat the host Edmonton Oilers 5-3 in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final to take a 2-1 series lead.
What a CBSA strike could look like, according to an expert
Slowed or interrupted travel, the passing of goods and significantly restricted borders should be expected if Canadian border workers take upcoming strike action.
WATCH Alta. man rescues wild foal trapped on steep cliffside
A man's daring rescue of a newborn wild foal that was trapped after falling down a steep embankment was caught on video over the weekend.
Severe thunderstorms, tornado watch in some areas of Canada. Here's where
Depending on where you live, you can expect to get a mixed bag of weather this week, as local forecasts predict heavy rain, strong wind, severe thunderstorms and even snowfall across some areas of Canada.
B.C. senior prepares to move due to devastating effects of fraud
A Courtenay, B.C., senior is downsizing and packing to move as she comes to accept she can no longer afford to stay in her home, after falling victim to a scam that robbed her of her life savings worth more than $100,000.
Israel close to approving Gaza reunification program before Rafah invasion: Miller
Immigration Minister Marc Miller says Israel seemed to be on the verge of approving a program to get Palestinian relatives of Canadians out of the Gaza Strip before the country's invasion of the town of Rafah.