Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre's destruction of the concrete slab foundation of a community mailbox in l'Anse-à-l'Orme nature park on Thursday may be just the beginning in a battle between the city and Canada Post.
Dimitrios Jim Beis, mayor of the Montreal borough of Pierrefonds-Roxboro, said the city plans to remove more unwanted community mailboxes.
"They've placed these boxes throughout the territory in parks and green spaces, crescents, corner of streets and now we've finally discovered that they've put a base at the entrance of one of the nature parks, and have placed a box in a parking lot of another nature park, which to us was the last straw," Beis said.
"We are going to remove that one as well."
But hours later, at a news conference Friday morning, Coderre said he won't be removing the box for now, instead opting to see how Canada Post deals with the situation.
"I've made my political point, I think I was pretty clear yesterday. So I won't go around everywhere."
Coderre's jackhammering of a concrete slab was a protest against what he says is a lack of consultation with the city as Canada Post moves from door-to-door service to community mailboxes.
University of Toronto law professor John Mascarin said that, while what Coderre did on Thursday will likely appeal to the public, it was probably illegal.
"Anything that's in the Cities and Towns Act or anything that's in the Montreal Act or charter would be subservient to federal legislation — in this case, the Canada Post Corporation Act and then the regulation under that, gives Canada Post the authority to go in and install or erect any receptacle in any public place," said Mascarin.
Coderre didn't appear worried.
"Some people ask me 'are you afraid to be sued?' Sue me. I don't care. But at the end of the day, I have to take a stand," he said.
On Thursday, Coderre said the Crown corporation moved to erect community boxes in Parc l'Anse-à-l'Orme without any authorization from the municipality, saying it was "totally disgraceful."
Flanked by City of Westmount Mayor Peter Trent, Southwest borough Mayor Benoit Dorais, Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension Mayor Anie Samson and Beis, Coderre condemned Canada Post for what he called a total lack of consultation.
He said Canada Post's brazen community mailbox placements go against Montreal's urban planning procedures, and he'll have none of it.
"I think it's wrong the way they're acting," Coderre said. "They said they were consulting. Hello? Anybody home? They're doing what they want, savagely, and they're arrogant."
more
More Canada Post mailbox foundations to be removed, Montreal official says - Montreal - CBC News
Dimitrios Jim Beis, mayor of the Montreal borough of Pierrefonds-Roxboro, said the city plans to remove more unwanted community mailboxes.
"They've placed these boxes throughout the territory in parks and green spaces, crescents, corner of streets and now we've finally discovered that they've put a base at the entrance of one of the nature parks, and have placed a box in a parking lot of another nature park, which to us was the last straw," Beis said.
"We are going to remove that one as well."
But hours later, at a news conference Friday morning, Coderre said he won't be removing the box for now, instead opting to see how Canada Post deals with the situation.
"I've made my political point, I think I was pretty clear yesterday. So I won't go around everywhere."
Coderre's jackhammering of a concrete slab was a protest against what he says is a lack of consultation with the city as Canada Post moves from door-to-door service to community mailboxes.
University of Toronto law professor John Mascarin said that, while what Coderre did on Thursday will likely appeal to the public, it was probably illegal.
"Anything that's in the Cities and Towns Act or anything that's in the Montreal Act or charter would be subservient to federal legislation — in this case, the Canada Post Corporation Act and then the regulation under that, gives Canada Post the authority to go in and install or erect any receptacle in any public place," said Mascarin.
Coderre didn't appear worried.
"Some people ask me 'are you afraid to be sued?' Sue me. I don't care. But at the end of the day, I have to take a stand," he said.
On Thursday, Coderre said the Crown corporation moved to erect community boxes in Parc l'Anse-à-l'Orme without any authorization from the municipality, saying it was "totally disgraceful."
Flanked by City of Westmount Mayor Peter Trent, Southwest borough Mayor Benoit Dorais, Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension Mayor Anie Samson and Beis, Coderre condemned Canada Post for what he called a total lack of consultation.
He said Canada Post's brazen community mailbox placements go against Montreal's urban planning procedures, and he'll have none of it.
"I think it's wrong the way they're acting," Coderre said. "They said they were consulting. Hello? Anybody home? They're doing what they want, savagely, and they're arrogant."
more
More Canada Post mailbox foundations to be removed, Montreal official says - Montreal - CBC News
