Canada Post has added new services to Alberta’s High Prairie Post Office through a new community hub model “to better meet the needs of area residents and Indigenous communities in the region,” according to a statement the Crown corporation issued on Nov. 2.
It’s a first-of-its-kind postal initiative in Canada.
The northern Alberta post office is the first Canada Post location to offer new services through the community hub model. Residents can access financial and other public services in addition to postal services. The location now features secure 24-hour parcel drop-off and pick-up services, parcel lockers and contactless induction while providing money services, including the Canada Post MyMoney Loan and an ATM, plus small-business support services.
In the coming months, Canada Post also plans to open a second community hub offering additional services in the Mi’kmaq community of Membertou, N.S.
Aside from Membertou, the Crown corporation will launch another two hubs in 2022.
It’s part of a pilot project to assess the hub model’s “effectiveness in improving community access to important products and services and helping local businesses connect with customers,” according to the recent statement.
The High Prairie Post Office is expected to serve as a hub for roughly 11,000 people, including up to 8,000 Indigenous people in the Métis Settlements and First Nations communities.