Toronto Mail Carrier's Last Day of Door-to-Door Delivery in Rexdale as Canada Post Shifts to Community Mailboxes

Anita McCulloch, a 60-year-old mail carrier, completed her final day of door-to-door delivery in Toronto's northwest Rexdale neighbourhood on Friday. As Canada Post gradually replaces home delivery with community mailboxes, the route she served for two and a half years becomes one of the earliest in a national conversion plan covering roughly four million addresses.

A final day of chalk messages and a loyal dog

According to The Canadian Press, McCulloch walked her familiar streets on Friday (November 13) delivering mail house by house, as neighbours left farewell messages in chalk on the sidewalk and her dog Red walked alongside her. Hundreds of homes and businesses in the area had their last day of door-to-door delivery the same day; starting Monday (November 16), mail will go to community mailboxes instead.

Four million addresses over several years

Canada Post plans to switch roughly four million addresses to community mailboxes over several years. Rexdale is one of Toronto's earliest neighbourhoods to convert; several other Greater Toronto Area neighbourhoods are set to lose door-to-door delivery in 2027, including those in Pickering, Ajax, Mississauga and Brampton.

In an April news release, Canada Post said the change will "strengthen the post service" and meet its mandate without being a "recurring burden on taxpayers". The switch has also raised concerns about accessibility, as residents with mobility issues will find it harder to collect their mail.

What happens next

With Rexdale leading the way, more Greater Toronto communities will follow next year. For veteran carriers like McCulloch, what changes is how the mail is delivered; for residents used to a mailbox at the front door, it is a habit of decades that is changing.