Community mailboxes suspended just as service launches in Charlottetown, Stratford

Some might call it a little ironic. Just as residents and businesses in Charlottetown and Stratford were using the keys to their new community mailboxes for the first time Monday, Canada Post called a halt to the program's rollout at least for now.

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It still means the endof home delivery for closeto 10,000 Island residents.

Canada Post began the move to community boxesin rural P.E.I. several years ago. This summer, it began converting Island municipalities.

"It's an OK idea. I guess it's going to work," said Christine Cleveland, who walked to her community box on Ellis Road about 15 minutes from her home in Charlottetown. "I guess it's here to stay."

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'Wekind of expected some hiccups'

It wasn't all smooth sailing on inaugural day.

Beth Pretty, a mail delivery worker, said Canada Post called off the use of a box on Gerald Street near the corner of Upper Prince Street Monday morning and told her to continue to hand-deliver mail to area residents until told otherwise.

"What they've told us is this box is unsafe, for whatever reason," she said.

"As carriers, we kind of expected some hiccups. It didn't really come as a surprise ... It's kind of a touch-and-go basis until we get everything figured out."

Pretty said delivering mail door-to-door is much more physically taxing.

"So this is easier in some ways," she said.

"I worked downtown, I saw lots of different faces every day, became familiar with them and I'm going to miss that, the personal aspect ... And the exercise, obviously!

"It feels different, but it's not all terrible."

The Gerald Street mailbox location is controversial. It's next to property owned by William White, who's been protesting the boxes with a trailer covered in signs that exhort 'No Mailboxes Here!'

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White said Canada Post promised to consult him on the location of the box, but in the end he wasn't consulted.

"I think they're breaking a lot of laws here," White said. "They're bull-in-a-china shop guys."

He's concerned the boxes will bring down the value of this home by at least $20,000.

'You're going to have a mess'

Island resident Lillian Clow points out there's very little room for parking to pick up mail at the Ellis Road mailbox location.

"If there's a few people stopping for their mail, you're going to have a mess," she laughed.

But Clow doubts the community boxes are going anywhere.

"Too much has gone into it," she said.

Seniors can get their mail delivered to their door once a week, but Clow said a week can be a long time.

"When they're waiting for their cheques and that to come in, it's going to be hard."

In an email statement to CBC News on Monday,Canada Post said, "Our focus at this time is on providing uninterrupted delivery service to our customers."

"We look forward to discussing our plans with the incoming government."

Canada Post urged customers experiencing problems with their new or old mailboxes to contact them at 1-844-454-3009.