Winter storms shut down Highway 10 from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk from Dec. 17 to Dec. 29, forcing the community to go nearly 2 weeks without mail.
Tuktoyaktuk relies on road transportation for its mail deliveries. Without this highway, many packages and deliveries were delayed during the busy holiday season, including very important documents and checks that residents rely on, such as Old Age Security Payments.
Former mayor Erwin Elias, who’s final day as Mayor of the community was last week, says “There’s no need for a community to spend 10 days to two weeks waiting for mail,” and calls for Canada Post to establish airmail services to the remote location. “In this day and age, you have a road closure like that, then there’s got to be airmail or something lined up.”
Tuktoyaktuk previously received mail via air, but following the construction of Highway 10 in 2017, all mail services were moved to be land based. According to a statement from Canada Post, “Since the highway was built, all mail volumes moved from air to road and it is no longer feasible for Canada Post to move mail and parcels by air.”
Elias penned a letter to the territorial government following the holiday, saying “I think the message was pretty strong and clear that, moving forward, there are options and you have to think about those options rather than letting the community sit and wait.” Elias indicated that the response he received from Minister of Infrastructure Vince McKay was positive, but has declined to give further comment
McKay’s office said that the dialogue mainly concerned weather-related closures and ensuring safe access to Highway 10. The department also stated that any consideration regarding alternative delivery methods would be made by Canada Post and private airlines.
