The Mayor of Montreal, Valérie Plante, asks Canada Post not to distribute the Publisac on the territory of the City, when its regulation on voluntary membership comes into force, in May 2023.
Posted at 1:40 p.m.
The Plante administration announced last spring that the Publisac can henceforth only be distributed to citizens who request it (” opt-in ”) by affixing a sticker to their mailbox.
But Transcontinental, which prints and distributes the Publisac, would like to circumvent the new regulation by having its Publisac distributed to all Montreal doors by Canada Post, a Crown corporation that is not subject to municipal regulations.
Valérie Plante, who explains that she was informed last week of this “possible agreement to deliver flyers three times a week”, hopes that Canada Post will do nothing about it.
“As soon as we heard the news, I wrote to the CEO of Canada Post to remind him of the position of Montrealers,” she revealed Wednesday, during the meeting of the City’s executive committee, recalling that 82% of citizens were in favor of the ” opt-in in a poll.
“It avoids the mass distribution of paper and plastic which is not desired,” she continued. Montrealers realize that tons and tons of flyers end up in recycling bins, landfills and garbage cans. This contributes to massive waste. Those who want to receive circulars, let them indicate it! »
Transcontinental went to court last June to request the cancellation of the City of Montreal’s by-law, because it considers in particular that it infringes freedom of expression and the right to information. The case has not yet been heard.
In Mirabel, where a regulation similar to that of Montreal came into effect in 2019, Transcontinental also turned to Canada Post to ensure the distribution of the Publisac.
Last April, the Superior Court dismissed the company, which challenged the Mirabel settlement. Transcontinental appealed this judgment.
Neither Canada Post nor Transcontinental responded to our interview requests on this subject.