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Letter Mail Regulations (SOR/88-430)

Regulations are current to 2024-10-30 and last amended on 2024-05-06. Previous Versions

Letter Mail Regulations

SOR/88-430

CANADA POST CORPORATION ACT

Registration 1988-08-25

Regulations Respecting Letter Mail

P.C. 1988-1697 1988-08-25

Whereas a copy of proposed Regulations respecting first class mail, substantially in the form annexed hereto, was published in the Canada Gazette Part I on May 14, 1988 and a reasonable opportunity was thereby afforded to interested persons to make representations to the Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs with respect thereto;

Therefore, Her Excellency the Governor General in Council, on the recommendation of the Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs, pursuant to subsection 17(1) of the Canada Post Corporation ActFootnote *, is pleased hereby to approve the revocation of the Domestic First Class Mail Regulations, C.R.C., c. 1278, and to approve the annexed Regulations respecting first class mail, made by the Canada Post Corporation, effective January 1, 1989.

Short Title

1 These Regulations may be cited as the Letter Mail Regulations.

  • SOR/90-801, s. 2
  • SOR/2003-382, s. 21(F)

Interpretation

2 In these Regulations,

carbonizing

carbonizing[Repealed, SOR/91-625, s. 1]

delivery mode

delivery mode[Repealed, SOR/90-13, s. 1]

delivery mode scheme

delivery mode scheme[Repealed, SOR/90-13, s. 1]

domestic basic letter rate

domestic basic letter rate[Repealed, SOR/2014-48, s. 1]

first class mail

first class mail[Repealed, SOR/90-801, s. 3]

foldover construction self-mailer

foldover construction self-mailer[Repealed, SOR/91-625, s. 1]

forward sortation area

forward sortation area[Repealed, SOR/90-13, s. 1]

frequent posting

frequent posting[Repealed, SOR/90-13, s. 1]

identical items

identical items[Repealed, SOR/90-13, s. 1]

infrequent posting

infrequent posting[Repealed, SOR/90-13, s. 1]

letter mail

letter mail means

  • (a) a letter, card, postcard or similar communication,

  • (b) a receipt, invoice or similar article of a financial nature, and

  • (c) any other article the sender chooses to post at a rate for letter mail

that is posted in Canada for delivery in Canada and meets the requirements of these Regulations; (envoi poste-lettres)

local delivery unit

local delivery unit[Repealed, SOR/90-13, s. 1]

multi-web construction self-mailer

multi-web construction self-mailer[Repealed, SOR/91-625, s. 1]

optical character reader

optical character reader or OCR[Repealed, SOR/90-13, s. 1]

postal code

postal code[Repealed, SOR/90-13, s. 1]

reduced consumer price index factor

reduced consumer price index factor[Repealed, SOR/2009-286, s. 1]

rural forward sortation area

rural forward sortation area[Repealed, SOR/90-13, s. 1]

self-mailer

self-mailer means any article, other than a card, postcard, magazine or catalogue, that does not have an outer cover, wrapping or envelope in addition to the paper or other material on which the written communication is placed; (envoi à découvert)

single posting

single posting[Repealed, SOR/90-13, s. 1]

urban forward sortation area

urban forward sortation area[Repealed, SOR/90-13, s. 1]

  • SOR/88-613, s. 1
  • SOR/90-13, s. 1
  • SOR/90-801, s. 3
  • SOR/91-625, s. 1
  • SOR/96-448, s. 1
  • SOR/2000-221, s. 1
  • SOR/2003-382, ss. 19(E), 21(F)
  • SOR/2009-286, s. 1
  • SOR/2014-48, s. 1
Previous Version

Rates of Postage

  • 3 (1) The rates set out in item 1 of the schedule apply to an item of letter mail that meets the applicable requirements for standard mail.

  • (2) [Repealed, SOR/2004-294, s. 1]

  • (3) The rates set out in item 2 of the schedule apply to an item of letter mail other than an item referred to in subsection (1).

  • (4) to (7) [Repealed, SOR/2009-286, s. 2]

  • (8) [Repealed, SOR/2014-48, s. 2]

  • SOR/88-613, s. 2
  • SOR/90-801, s. 4
  • SOR/91-625, s. 2
  • SOR/2000-221, s. 2
  • SOR/2001-178, s. 1
  • SOR/2001-443, s. 1
  • SOR/2003-382, s. 21(F)
  • SOR/2004-294, s. 1
  • SOR/2009-5, s. 1
  • SOR/2009-141, s. 1
  • SOR/2009-286, s. 2
  • SOR/2014-48, s. 2
Previous Version

4 [Repealed, SOR/91-636, s. 1]

General Conditions

  • 5 (1) Every item of letter mail shall be securely wrapped with sufficient cushioning and reinforcing material as required to prevent loss of or damage to the item, damage to postal equipment or other mail and injury to persons handling the item.

  • (2) Every envelope or self-mailer shall be sealed except an item referred to in item 2 of the schedule.

  • SOR/90-801, s. 5
  • SOR/91-625, s. 3
  • SOR/2003-382, s. 21(F)

6 Nothing shall appear on the right side of the face of a postcard except

  • (a) the name and address of the addressee;

  • (b) the applicable postage stamp; and

  • (c) such postal endorsement or label as is necessary to facilitate delivery of the postcard.

7 [Repealed, SOR/2014-48, s. 3]

Previous Version

Standard Mail

  • 8 (1) The following articles shall not be enclosed in an item of standard mail, namely,

    • (a) bottle caps;

    • (b) loose coins;

    • (c) foodstuffs;

    • (d) glass;

    • (e) jewellery;

    • (f) keys;

    • (g) liquids;

    • (h) pencils;

    • (i) pens;

    • (j) powders;

    • (k) seeds; and

    • (l) any other articles that are fragile or perishable, can soil or damage other mail or postal equipment or can cause injury to persons handling them.

  • (2) An item of mailable matter shall not be accepted for transmission by post as standard mail if

    • (a) a staple is attached to the outer cover;

    • (b) it has a pin-feed hole strip attached thereto when in the form of a self-mailer; or

    • (c) it consists of a punched or perforated card that is not enclosed in an envelope.

Previous Version

  • 9 (1) An item of standard mail shall be rectangular in shape and have a minimum length to width ratio of 1.3:1 and a maximum length to width ratio of 2.6:1.

  • (2) [Repealed, SOR/90-13, s. 4]

  • SOR/90-13, s. 4
  • SOR/95-306, s. 1

10 An item of standard mail, when supported by two level supports located 10 mm from the left and right edges of the item, shall not sag more than 22 mm from its horizontal plane.

  • SOR/2009-287, s. 1
Previous Version

  • 11 (1) Every item of standard mail bearing a postage meter impression shall bear the address of the addressee, including the applicable postal code for that address.

  • (2) Subject to subsection (3), the address of the addressee shall appear on the front of every item of standard mail and be located not less than

    • (a) 35 mm from the top edge;

    • (b) 19 mm from the bottom edge; and

    • (c) 15 mm from the left and right edges.

  • (3) Paragraph (2)(b) shall not apply in respect of an item of standard mail that bears a postage stamp other than a postage meter impression.

  • (4) The postal code on an item referred to in subsection (1) shall be located on the last line of the address, either alone or separated from the preceding character by at least two spaces.

  • (5) [Repealed, SOR/90-801, s. 6]

Previous Version

  • 12 (1) Where the envelope of an item of standard mail has an address window, the address window shall be

    • (a) rectangular in shape with the greatest dimension of the window parallel to the length of the envelope;

    • (b) covered with transparent material that allows the address to be easily read by a person or an optical character reader; and

    • (c) [Repealed, SOR/2009-287, s. 2]

    • (d) located not less than 15 mm from the top edge, 19 mm from the bottom edge, 12 mm from the left edge and 15 mm from the right edge of the item.

  • (2) The complete address of the addressee shall be clearly visible through the address window of an item referred to in subsection (1).

  • (3) An auxiliary window on an envelope referred to in subsection (1) shall be covered with transparent material and

    • (a) where it is located on the front of the envelope, shall be located not less than 19 mm from the bottom edge, 12 mm from the left edge and 15 mm from the right edge and shall be outside the area prescribed in subsection 13(1) for the postage meter impression; and

    • (b) where it is located on the back of the envelope, shall be located not less than 15 mm from the top and bottom edges and 15 mm from the left and right edges.

  • (4) No more than one auxiliary window may be located on the front, and no more than one auxiliary window may be located on the back, of an envelope referred to in subsection (1).

Previous Version

  • 13 (1) The postage meter impression on an item of standard mail shall be located on the front of the item in the upper right corner not more than 40 mm from the top edge and 100 mm from the right edge.

  • (2) Where a postage stamp other than one referred to in subsection (1) is affixed to an item of standard mail, it shall be located on the front of the item in the upper right corner.

  • SOR/2014-48, s. 7
Previous Version

  • 14 (1) If a return address, service indications or delivery instructions are marked on an item of standard mail that bears a postage meter impression, they shall be located on the front of the item in the upper left corner not less than 19 mm from the bottom edge. However, a return address may also be located on the back of the item near the top edge, centred between the left and right edges.

  • (2) A form number may be printed on the front of an item of standard mail if it is located not more than 6 mm from the bottom.

  • (3) On an item of standard mail, graphics or other printing shall not be

    • (a) [Repealed, SOR/2014-48, s. 8]

    • (b) less than 19 mm from the bottom of the front of the item; and

    • (c) in the area prescribed by section 13 for the postage.

  • SOR/90-13, s. 5(F)
  • SOR/2009-287, s. 3
  • SOR/2014-48, s. 8
Previous Version

15 to 30 [Repealed, SOR/90-13, s. 6]

31 [Repealed, SOR/88-613, s. 4]

Size and Weight

  • 32 (1) No item of letter mail shall

    • (a) exceed 380 mm in length, 270 mm in width or 20 mm in thickness; or

    • (b) be less than 140 mm in length, 90 mm in width or 0.18 mm in thickness.

  • (2) No item of standard mail shall exceed 245 mm in length, 156 mm in width or 5 mm in thickness.

  • (3) [Repealed, SOR/90-13, s. 7]

  • SOR/88-613, s. 5
  • SOR/90-13, s. 7
  • SOR/90-801, s. 7
  • SOR/96-448, s. 2
  • SOR/2003-382, s. 20
  • SOR/2014-48, s. 9
Previous Version

32.1 A card or postcard shall be made of cardboard or any other material that is commonly used in printing and shall weigh a minimum of 2 g so as to provide the stiffness necessary to withstand machine processing.

Previous Version

33 The maximum weight for an item of letter mail is

  • (a) in the case of an item of standard mail referred to in item 1 of the schedule, 50 g; and

  • (b) in any other case, 500 g.

  • SOR/88-613, s. 6
  • SOR/90-13, s. 8
  • SOR/90-801, s. 8
  • SOR/91-625, s. 5
  • SOR/2003-382, s. 21(F)
  • SOR/2004-294, s. 2

34 The minimum weight for an item of standard mail in the form of a self-mailer is 3 g.

  • SOR/2009-287, s. 4
Previous Version

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