The switch to super mailboxes is now weeks rather than months away for residents of the upper city.

Cement pads are being poured this week at about 1,000 box locations as Canada Post forges ahead with its plan to stop home mail delivery this spring.

The work is going ahead despite a bylaw the city is expected to pass this week to govern the installation of the boxes, said spokesman Jon Hamilton of Canada Post.

“We’ll follow the progress of (the bylaw) but we need to continue to move forward to secure the postal service as we’ve said from the beginning,” said Hamilton.

We’ve been doing this for many, many years and we’re going to continue on that process, but we’ll continue to talk with the city on any changes they put forward.

The city’s public works department is recommending council enact a bylaw which sets out standards and requires a permit for each super mailbox location. The $200 per-permit fee would help offset staffing costs.

“I’m very disappointed Canada Post is still going forward with this even though the people do not want this,” said Duvall.

It’s not about the Crown corporation losing money, he said, as Canada Post was profitable in 2014, following a loss in 2013.

He said would like the process to be delayed until after the federal election. Duvall is the NDP’s candidate for the Hamilton Mountain riding; the NDP have said they will stop Canada Post’s move away from home delivery.

Hamilton said Tuesday he was not in a position to give a legal opinion on whether a municipal bylaw would supersede federal laws governing Canada Post.

“There are laws that govern how postal service is provided in Canada and that includes the placement of equipment outdoors on municipal easements and things like that,” he said. “We’ve been doing this for many, many years and we’re going to continue on that process, but we’ll continue to talk with the city on any changes they put forward.”