The District of West Vancouver joined the campaign to retain home mail delivery March 10, backing the bid of Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan.
Community mailboxes could make life challenging for many residents, according to Coun. Craig Cameron, who noted the uneven terrain of West Vancouver.
"There may be neighbourhoods in West Vancouver where the community mailbox is a considerable distance from the home," he said.
Doing away with door-to-door mail service could also put a strain on communication between the municipal government and West Vancouverites, according to Cameron.
"We already have ... challenges to notifying citizens when things are going on in their neighbourhood, and this will only add to their challenges."
Reducing the frequency of home delivery might be a better option than implementing community mailboxes, according to Cameron.
Council unanimously supported sending a letter to the federal government and Canada Post to express their concerns.
The district debated the issue after getting a letter from the Burnaby mayor.
Corrigan's missive was spurred by a presentation from Kim Evans, president of the Vancouver local for the Canadian Union of Postal Workers. Evans referred to community mailboxes as a "one-stop shop for thieves."
Corrigan underlined the concern in his letter, calling for any new system to ensure the security of private information.
As many as 8,000 jobs may be lost when the postal service converts to community mailboxes.
The Burnaby mayor also wants to strip the federal government's right to use municipal property for community mailboxes without the approval of the local government.
The protection of seniors and people with mobility issues is also a key concern in Corrigan's letter.
West Vancouver Mayor Michael Smith will be charged with drafting a letter outlining the municipality's concerns.
