MARTINTOWN – Residents in Martintown have to thank both their outgoing MP and the Conservative candidate for sorting out the village’s post office problems.
Martintowners had a few crazy days wondering about the future of their mail service after the service at KCee’s Convenience at 18530 County Road 18 was abruptly shut down Thursday.
They were faced with a choice – have their mail delivered to their civic address or to a post office box in Apple Hill – nine kilometers away.
Owner Kurtis Thomson told Cornwall Newswatch in a Twitter message they are glad to have Canada Post back and that he would “like to thank Eric Duncan and Jennifer O’Brian Canada Retail Manager at Canada Post for stepping in and resolving the issues.”
In an interview with CNW Monday night, Duncan says, after talking with Thomson, he was able to work with MP Guy Lauzon and the Canada Post contact to resolve the issue. Mail service should be back in action tomorrow (Wednesday).
Duncan says having Canada Post outlets in small towns like Martintown help to keep stores viable. He says a convenience store, an LCBO outlet, Beer Store outlet or a Canada Post outlet may not work on its own but together they can. “Any time we can get those types of relationships and small town partnerships, they’re a win several different ways.”
He says there’s a similar situation in Morewood where the Lucky Dollar has shut down and residents have gone to post office boxes. “I know the (township) council, there’s interest to sell that building and get a convenience store and a Canada Post. There’s (also) a really good business case for an LCBO,” as the location was on the list in June of convenience store locations in SD&G.
Asked about what started the sudden mail shutdown, Duncan believes the problems were part of a “back and forth” on renegotiating the contract between KCee’s and Canada Post and it “stalled and as a tactic (Canada Post) just ended it. I think at the end of the day cooler heads prevailed.”
Duncan also noted that this is an example of how a local Member of Parliament can help “navigate those waters” when dealing with a large government agency like Canada Post.
Kurtis Thomson has been the owner of KCee’s since April.
In a statement to Cornwall Newswatch, Canada Post says all mail currently in Apple Hill is being returned to Martintown for pickup tomorrow (Wednesday). But items that required proof of identification, that were in St. Andrews West during the mail stoppage, will stay there until they’re picked up.
“We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate our customers’ patience and understanding,” the statement reads in part.