If you are reading this, you may well be a newcomer, because this happens to all of us at one point, whether immigrants or temporary workers, when we try to send our first letter or postcard to our relatives overseas and suddenly wonder: how come I have never seen a post office before?

Post offices do exist: there are over 6,600 post offices all over the country, under the name Canada Post. It is a governmental institution and there are no notable competitors.

No need for you to find a carrier pigeon for your letters!

In fact, there probably is a post office in your neighbourhood; but the reason you might not have noticed it is because most post offices are located within other facilities, such as drugstores, commercial centres, copy shops, bookstores or tobacco shops.

The opening hours differ according to the premises in which the post office is located. In drugstores, the most common opening hours are Monday to Friday from 9am to 9pm. In other institutions, postal services are likely available Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. The majority of post offices are also open on Saturdays, with reduced opening hours, and some are even open on Sundays. The easiest way is to check the nearest location here.

Last important information for Christmas:

Let your kids write a letter to Santa Claus and send it from the post office with the following postal code: H0H 0H0. There is a good chance you’ll receive an answer, because more than 15,000 employees and retirees of the Canada Post answer the letters every year!