Parcels overflow in Iqaluit
Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services
Monday, February 13, 2017
IQALUIT
When Christmas parcels filled Iqaluit's post office, Canada Post started using nearby House 760 as a second pick-up location, but the volume of parcels remains so high that the site is staying open.
Amazon parcels flood house 760 well past the Christmas season, Canada Post's satellite pick-up location for parcels. - photo courtesy Canada Post |
"We are keeping the site because we want to ensure that we have it readily available when the volumes warrant it, and the volumes are still warranting that we have it," said Sue Browning, local area manager for Canada Post.
"With the increase in volume that we're seeing in Iqaluit, we want to make sure that we deliver our product as quickly as possible."
Browning says if the volumes aren't there in the summer, next month or even next week the site would be closed until it's needed again.
A visit to the satellite location shows a mind-boggling array of Amazon packages, with the company's distinctive branded tape. And it's not unusual to see a customer walk out of the main post office building carrying several Amazon parcels.
"You can multiply that number (you saw) by 100, probably," said Browning.
Amazon declined to comment on how many packages it sends to Iqaluit or Nunavut.
"We don't share sales data or number of Prime members by geographic location," said spokesperson Kaan Yalkin.
Though outlying communities cannot purchase the Prime membership delivery program, people who reside in Iqaluit can. For a flat rate of $79 per year, all Prime products are delivered free. Those without a Prime membership can get free shipping on most orders over $125. It's also possible to register to have a product delivered on a monthly schedule, which also increases parcel volume in Iqaluit.
Browning says on-line shopping is continuously growing.
"We are delivering two out of three parcels ordered online - that's Canada-wide. The volumes are increasing everywhere with parcels," she said.
"Iqaluit is growing from 15 per cent to 20 per cent a year, year over year, in parcels. So with the temporary site, we're forecasting, we're looking at our future ... that's why it's still in operation."
Browning could not say with precision how many parcels come into the capital.
"It would be abstract for me to say, but we get hundreds of parcels a day and process more than that a day - hundreds a day. Certainly we have our partners, the air carriers, so if weather is impacting us we'll get double the product the next day," said Browning.
Browning says Canada Post uses all the air carriers that fly to Nunavut. Canadian North, which has told Nunavut News/North it has a contract with Canada Post, declined to comment on how Canada Post product is handled, how many flights per day or week, whether there is dedicated aircraft to service the contract, or volume.
"We are very pleased to provide reliable and efficient cargo service to Canada Post but we're unable to discuss their volumes publicly," stated manager of communications Kelly Lewis in an e-mail.
Canada Post also picks up parcels from other services that don't operate in Nunavut.
"We have partners all over, so it turns into a Canada Post product. When you receive it, you're going to receive it from the post office," said Browning.
Along with the two counters in two buildings, Canada Post recently installed 103 parcel lockers at the main building to streamline pick-up.
The post office has 15 permanent staff in Iqaluit and term employees for absences and peak seasons.
