Canada Post will raise postage rates in January 2019. The rates were announced in June and were approved on December 6th. Rates will rise for both letter mail and parcels, domestic and international, and they’re set to take effect on January 14, 2019.
Prices for Domestic Parcel Services will increase by an overall average of 4%, and prices for USA / International Parcel services will increase by an average of 2% for most customers.
The following products are affected by the changes:
Domestic: Priority, Xpresspost, Xpresspost Certified, Xpresspost Banking, Expedited Parcel, Regular Parcel, Library Materials, Day Old Chicks.
USA / International: Priority Worldwide, Xpresspost-USA and international, Expedited Parcel-USA, International Air and surface Parcel, Small Packet-USA and International, Tracked Packet-USA and International.
Canada Post is also making some product changes:
- Introduction of Signature as a service feature to Xpresspost-International
- Introduction of new 1.5 kg and 2.0 kg weight steps for Tracked Packet-USA and Small Packet-USA Air items.
Sellers should pay attention to some additional changes to features and options and especially to surcharges:
- Signature option fee will increase to $1.75
- Proof of Age fee will increase to $3
- Mailing Tube surcharge will increase to $2
- Oversize and Unpackaged price will be $12 per item (Oversize fee will apply if one side is longer than one metre and/or if the second longest side is greater than 76 cm.)
- A surcharge of $100 for items that exceed the maximum size or weight specifications
In eBay Canada’s announcement to sellers, it also noted price reductions on items originating from Yukon, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories.
eBay advised Canadian sellers that once the new rates take effect, the eBay shipping calculator and Shippo labels will be updated with the new rates. “You’ll need to make sure shipping prices on your active listings reflect them, too,” it stated.
Sending letters will also cost Canadians more – the price of a single domestic stamp is increasing from $1.00 to $1.05. You can find more information on the new rates for domestic Lettermail, U.S. and international Letter-post items and domestic Registered Mail on this page of the Canadian government website.
Additional information on parcel rate changes can be found in this PDF file on Canada Post’s website where it also advised sellers about safe shipping practices.
Included was a notice to sellers to use the new lithium batter mark. “The lithium battery handling label has been revised for global use and is now known as the lithium battery mark. Use this new mark on parcels that require a lithium batterly label as of January 1, 2019.”
A Canada Post spokesperson told EcommerceBytes, “We will be announcing this change in the new year, in advance of it coming into effect on January 14, 2019.”
