Canada Post

    Smartmail Marketing™ and Commercial Mail Services Overview of Changes posted October 28, 2021

    This overview is a notice of the changes and improvements affecting services you, or an authorized user of your Agreement with Canada Post currently use. Please share this information with your colleagues who prepare mailings or work directly with Canada Post.

    This notice and any applicable customer guides form part of your agreement with Canada Post. The most current and upcoming customer guides are always available at canadapost.ca/notice.

    Canada Post will introduce changes to the following services:

    Changes Smartmail Marketing™ Commercial Mail
    Neighbourhood Mail™ Postal Code Targeting Personalized Mail™ Incentive Lettermail™ and Incentive Letter-post™ Publications Mail™ Business Reply Mail™
    Coming early 2022
    Improvements to Precision Targeter          
    Coming June 2022
    Changes to undeliverable Publications Mail          
    Recently introduced
    Removal of the 2D barcode on Machineable Postal Code Targeting          
    Clarification of Co-op mailing          
    Newly updated Essential Guide to Direct Mail      
    New look and feel for Postal Services Information website

    Coming by early 2022

    APPLICABLE TO NEIGHBOURHOOD MAIL

    Improvements to Precision Targeter: Improved performance and ability to locate delivery routes based on Postal Code(s)

    Canada Post is excited to introduce new enhancements to our Precision Targeter tool to help you achieve your campaign goals more efficiently.

    Performance:

    Users will notice a shorter wait time when calculating counts. The load time is significantly faster, especially for larger targeted areas.

    Postal Code(s) to route:

    A new enhancement allows the user to target routes using Postal Code(s) on the “Define delivery area” screen in Precision Targeter.

    Coming June 2022

    APPLICABLE TO PUBLICATIONS MAIL

    The undeliverable Publications Mail service is a current requirement of Publications Mail many customers consider to be of limited value and not meeting their needs. Many customers also find that return postage costs make it harder to predict and plan. After careful consideration of different solutions, Canada Post will discontinue the service and offer a Return to Sender option starting June 1, 2022.

    If the publisher includes a visible domestic (Canadian) return address, as per the current specification for a visible address by June 1, 2022, the items will be returned for no additional fee. No Return Postage Guarantee (RPG) indicia will be required. Currently customers have the option to include a return address on the inside or on an enclosed card. This will no longer qualify as a return address.

    As of June 17, 2022:

    • Undeliverable items without a return address will be disposed of or recycled at our discretion. Disposed of or recycled items cannot be retrieved by customers.
    • uPM reports will no longer be generated. Final invoices indicating uPM Return postage and the uPM processing fee will follow.

    Printing a Visible Address

    When your Publications Mail items are wrapped or unwrapped, your return address must appear as follows:

    RETURN UNDELIVERABLE ITEMS TO
    COMPANY/DEPARTMENT
    123 MY ADDRESS ST
    MYCITY ON  M9M 9M9

    NOTE: For machineable items, the return address must not be printed in the address zone. Refer to the design module at canadapost.ca/pmguides.

    A return address, if present, must be the same orientation as the destination address and clearly visible on or through the wrapper. It may appear on either the front (the recipient address side) or the back of the item (including bundles).

    Current Specification Future Specification

    For unwrapped Publications Mail items, the return address must be visible in one of the following locations:

    • the front or back cover; or
    • the first five pages of the publication; or
    • the first page of the table of contents; or
    • in the masthead of the publication; or
    • a clearly identifiable insert card securely enclosed in the publication.

    Wrapped/enveloped Publications Mail items:

    When your Publications Mail items are wrapped or placed in an envelope, your return address must appear as follows:

    • clearly visible on or through the outside of the wrapper/bundle
    • on an address carrier, clearly visible through a polybag.

    For wrapped or unwrapped Publications Mail items, including bundles, if a Canadian return address is used, the return address must be visible on the front or back cover.

    When your Publications Mail items are wrapped or placed in an envelope, your Canadian return address must appear as follows:

    • Clearly visible on or through the outside of the wrapper/bundle
    • On an address carrier, clearly visible through a polybag.

    Recipients of the undeliverable Publications Mail Report summary and accompanying detailed keyline report will receive a series of emails advising them of the change and timeline via epost Connect.

    Assistance correcting or updating mailing lists

    To keep your customer database up to date contact the Data Solutions Centre at data.solutionscentre@canadapost.ca or at 1-877-281-4137. More information regarding these services can be found at canadapost.ca/smartdata.

    Recently introduced

    APPLICABLE TO POSTAL CODE TARGETING

    Removal of the 2D barcode on Machineable Postal Code Targeting

    We are pleased to announce the following enhancement to Machineable Postal Code Targeting (PCT). Expert Partners and Smartmail Marketing Partners are now able to print a non-personalized address on your Machineable Postal Code Targeting items (versus a 2D barcode). The removal of the 2D barcode will help reduce work effort, resolve usability issues, simplify the mail design process and improve speed-to-market for your mailings.

    The following key requirements will apply:

    • The destination address cannot include an individual, company or personalized descriptor (e.g. Occupant)
    • The non-personalized address must be located in the pre-defined address zone
    • The item does not include return service (no return address)
    • PCT indicia must be in the postage zone located on the same side as the address zone
    • The Mailing ID, must be entered on the Order (Statement of Mailing) and match the PCT Mail Summary Report
    • Items must meet all size, weight, sealing and preparation requirements outlined in the Smartmail Marketing Customer Guide

    There are no additional fees to access the addresses and the Data Product team will continue to support your requests.

    Contact a Smartmail Marketing Partner or your Canada Post Representative for more information or for help with your next Postal Code Targeting campaign.

    APPLICABLE TO NEIGHBOURHOOD MAIL

    Clarification of co-op mailing

    The Neighbourhood Mail Customer Guide has been updated to clarify a co-op mailing as follows:

    A co-op mailing is promotional content from two or more organizations, typically printed as booklets, cards or enclosed in an envelope.

    Co-op mailings are not:

    • Catalogues
    • Directories
    • Newsletters
    • Calendars
    • Community newspapers

    The inclusion of the mailer/sender identification (customer name and, or logo) is not considered promotional content.  Canada Post reserves the right to refuse, at its sole discretion, any co-op mailing that does not meet its criteria, including, without limitation, a mailing by a customer that is primarily engaged in the reselling of the co-op item, rather than promoting its own products or services.

    APPLICABLE TO SMARTMAIL MARKETING (Personalized Mail, Neighbourhood Mail and Postal Code Targeting)

    Newly updated Essential Guide to Direct Mail now available

    We continue to release new resources for our customers. The newly updated Essential Guide to Direct Mail is now available. This new edition is packed with insights, best practices, proven processes and innovations. It will help you to plan, integrate and execute impactful and sustainable Smartmail Marketing. Access this valuable guide at canadapost.ca/essentialguide.

    APPLICABLE TO ALL SERVICES

    New look and feel for postal services information website

    We have made changes to our postal services information website. These changes, driven by our Accessibility Strategy, are designed to make our products and services more accessible and inclusive. Specifically, the content has been reorganized to improve the overall navigation experience to better guide customers through various mail and shipping requirements.

    For detailed information on Canada Post's core products and services, visit the postal services information website at canadapost.ca/postalservices