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By 2011 the Canada Post Group of Companies, which includes subsidiary Purolator Holdings Ltd. and others, was handling about 10 billion pieces of mail a year for a 1.8-billion drop from 2007. Last year, total volume came in at 8.4 billion as the service has sustained a steady drop in its core business of transaction mail made of up letters, bills, statements, invoices and other paperwork that’s now gone digital.

In response, the company switched emphasis to its parcel service, which for years had stood at a fairly stable level.

But the transition hasn’t been easy, said Lee, since unlike lettermail, parcel services have stiff competition from major international players like UPS and Fedex.

“People say, ok well great, you lost one product line, you get another product line. It’s not that simple…this is a very competitive space, there is no monopoly.”

Still, a rapid rise in overall parcels being sent out to consumers has helped Canada Post record significant gains in the space.

Photo by Darren Calabrese/The Canadian Press

Last year, parcel revenue came in at $2.1 billion, or about 33 per cent of Canada Post revenue, up from about $1.3 billion or 21 per cent of revenue in 2011.

Parcel volume has climbed from about 143 million packages in 2011 to 242 million last year for an almost 70 per cent increase, as the service has also looked to increase convenience of the service with delivery lockers, self-service drop-offs, and same day delivery in Toronto and Montreal.

In a 2016 annual report, Canada Post said it delivered nearly two thirds of online orders by Canadians.