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Postal Guide Last updated: 2006-09-18 Table of Contents
What is it? to top of page Incentive Lettermail is a category of Lettermail that consists of identical items of Standard Short and Long (S/L) and Oversize (O/S) mail as defined by Canada Post that must be deposited in Canada for delivery in Canada. In order to access the applicable Incentive Lettermail price, customers must enter into an Agreement with Canada Post and ensure that the mail meets certain requirements established by Canada Post. These requirements include, but are not limited to, Mail Preparation and Presortation, Address Accuracy, Certification, mail processing acceptability and readability, size, weight, placing Orders (Statements of Mailing) using the Electronic Shipping Tools (EST), etc. A list of support documents detailing Incentive Lettermail requirements are available at: www.canadapost.ca/ilmsupportdocuments. Incentive Lettermail can include the following:
Do not staple the outside of an Incentive Lettermail item. Unacceptable Items to top of page To be eligible as Incentive Lettermail, the items mailed must meet the criteria specified for Incentive Lettermail and must be prepared for mailing in such a manner as to prevent loss or damage to any item and permit easy examination of each item. The following are examples of items which are unacceptable as Incentive Lettermail:
Put punched or perforated cards, or self-mailers with a pin-feed hold strip, in sealed envelopes. Do not staple the outside of a Standard Lettermail item. NOTE: Enclosures to top of page Incentive Lettermail can include enclosures, as long as they do not impede mechanized processing. Non-paper enclosures must be pre-approved, with the exception of plastic cards that meet the flexibility requirements outlined in the Canadian Postal Standards. Size to top of page
*Any item that does not have an outer cover, wrapping or envelope in addition to the paper or material on which the communication is placed. NOTE: Weight to top of page
Payment Options to top of page Proofs of Payment The following proofs of payment are acceptable for Incentive Lettermail items. Some restrictions or conditions may apply.
Methods of Payment The following methods of payment are acceptable for Incentive Lettermail items. Some restrictions or conditions may apply.
*Meter is not an acceptable method of payment for Incentive Lettermail Short and Long items weighing more than 50 g and Oversize items weighing more than 100 g. These items must be paid by Account. All items paid by meter must bear the following designation next to the proof of payment in the upper right hand corner: 1A for Machineable; 1B for Presort. **Payment by cash, debit card or Money Order is available only to customers paying at a postal outlet. ***Credit card is available only to customers using Electronic Shipping Tools. Some exceptions apply. For more information on payment options, Go to Section B – Chapter 5, Paying for a Mailing. Service Standards to top of page Service standards are estimates of how long it will take for the mail to be delivered from the point of deposit to the destination points. These service standards are not guaranteed.
Customers must comply with the scheduling requirements to help ensure proper delivery arrangements are in place to meet customer delivery requests. See Scheduling within this chapter. For specific service standards, Go to Section F, Service Standards, under Communications Services. Features to top of page A feature is provided automatically as part of the basic service. Redirection Incentive Lettermail items that cannot be delivered as originally addressed because the addressee has moved will be redirected to the addressee while there is a Change of Address Notification (COAN) in effect. Return to Sender Incentive Lettermail items that are undeliverable, or if no Change of Address Notification (COAN) is in effect, will be returned to the sender if a Canadian return address appears on the outside of the item. When the return address is on the inside of the item, it will be returned to the customer for a fee. Options to top of page An option is a service enhancement which is not provided automatically as part of the basic service. Do Not Forward Do Not Forward is a service option available under separate Agreement. If the item cannot be delivered as addressed, because the addressee has filed a Change of Address Notification (COAN) with Canada Post, the Do Not Forward option enables the customer to have domestic Incentive Lettermail returned to the return address on the item and not forwarded to the addressee. Placement of the endorsement on the envelope should be within the top 40 mm band of the left-hand corner below the return address (excluding the postage zone). Figure illustrates information contained in text. Undeliverable Mail to top of page An Incentive Lettermail item will be treated as undeliverable if:
Undeliverable items that cannot be redirected will be disposed of or recycled, as determined by Canada Post. Documentation Required to top of page For information on documentation required, including Order (Statement of Mailing) and the Electronic Shipping Tools, Documentation and Online Tools, Section B - Chapter 5, Paying for a Mailing. Format to top of page Each item in an Incentive Lettermail mailing must be identical in design and physical characteristics. However, the weight, thickness and the colour of the exterior covers may vary. Short and Long items must be rectangular with a maximum length to height ratio of 2.6:1 and a minimum of 1.3:1. Oversize Machineable and Presort Lettermail must be rectangular however the aspect ratio does not apply. The address and window location must be the same on all mail items. Address windows on Incentive Lettermail items must be rectangular in shape, located and covered in a manner that meets the applicable requirements as established in the Canadian Postal Standards. Short and Long (S/L) items cannot be mailed in transparent wrapping. Oversize (O/S) items can be mailed in closed transparent wrapping as long as the address label is under or affixed to the plastic film. If the plastic is such that it cannot be written upon, the plastic film must have a 20 mm-wide white opaque band. The address label must be large enough to accommodate postal endorsements. If the closed transparent material can be written upon, a sample of the envelope must be submitted to Canada Post for testing and approval. The return address can vary provided that either the address, the name or logo of the company to which items are to be returned is constant. The return address must be Canadian and only one return address is permitted. For more information on Incentive Lettermail physical characteristics, Go to Canadian Postal Standards, Lettermail. Addressing to top of page Every item in a mailing of Incentive Lettermail must be addressed to a specific individual or a company, and include the complete mailing address and the valid postal code for that address. Local to Local Exemption Rule Customers who deposit Short and Long (S/L) High Density Presort mail in Non-Letter Carrier offices (not serviced by Letter Carriers) for delivery within that same office, are exempt from the Address Accuracy and Delivery Mode Code (DMC) requirements. All other requirements to access the High Density Presort service option must be adhered to. For more information on Addressing or the Address Accuracy Program, Go to Section B – Chapter 3, Addressing. Mail Preparation and Presortation to top of page Mail preparation is the process of facing and containerizing the items, and labelling the containers. It helps ensure machineability of mail (where applicable), protection of mail, identification of the type of mail and ease of handling. The mail preparation options for Incentive Lettermail are:
Samples of the Incentive Lettermail item must be submitted for evaluation prior to signing an Agreement, and upon request of postal officials. Mail presortation is the process of sequencing, grouping and containerizing the items, and labelling the containers to allow Canada Post to bypass various processing steps and facilities within its mail distribution network. The mail presortation options for Incentive Lettermail are:
For more information on mail preparation and presortation, Go to Mail Preparation and Presortation Guides. Summary of Options and Key Requirements to top of page
*Some exceptions apply. Go to Section B – Chapter 3, Addressing under Address Accuracy. Postal Indicia and Markings to top of page Postal Indicia For information on Postal Indicia, Go to Section B – Chapter 5, Paying for a Mailing. Markings Go to Graphics and Other Markings, Section B - Chapter 5, Paying for a Mailing Prior to Depositing to top of page Creating an Order (Statement of Mailing) An Order (Statement of Mailing) must be properly completed and submitted using the Electronic Shipping Tools (EST). Use of the Electronic Shipping Tools to prepare and submit an Order is mandatory to access Incentive Lettermail Contract prices. Two (2) printed copies of the Order (Statement of Mailing) prepared electronically must be provided to an authorized Canada Post Representative at a postal facility approved by Canada Post at the time of mailing. For more information on the Order (Statement of Mailing), Documentation and Online Tools, Section B - Chapter 5, Paying for a Mailing. Deposits to Canada Post’s processing plants are governed by pre-arranged local requirements. These requirements include, but are not limited to, advance notification, scheduling and work content. Mailing Summary and Mailing Details These documents are required for presort mail only. The Mailing Summary includes general information regarding the customer and the presortation software used for the mailing. The Mailing Summary is automatically generated by the presortation software and must be submitted with each deposit, except where special arrangements have been made. The Mailing Details document includes a detailed breakdown of the mail preparation and presortation information and is only required upon request by Canada Post. For a list of Recognized Presortation Software vendors, Go to Section B – Chapter 3, Addressing. Weighted Average Weight to top of page A mailing may be comprised of items of varying weights (including items above and below base weights). In cases where the mailing is comprised of items with varying weights, the customer may choose to enter information on the Order (Statement of Mailing) using the weighted average weight per item. Separate average weights must be calculated and entered on the Order (Statement of Mailing) for the portion of the mailing above and below base weights. Example: 5,000 items of Short and Long Low Density Presort; 2,000 items weigh 40 g and 3,000 items weigh 60 g. Weighted average weight = Total weight of all items divided by total number of items. Weighted Average Weight Calculation
At the Time of Deposit to top of page Required at Time of Deposit Each Incentive Lettermail deposit must be accompanied by an Order (Statement of Mailing). For more information see Prior to Depositing. Where to Deposit Incentive Lettermail items must be deposited with an authorized Representative of Canada Post at any postal facility approved by Canada Post. Incentive Lettermail items cannot be deposited in street letter boxes, parcel receptacles or other mail receptacles. Approved Deposit Sites Machineable Incentive Lettermail must be deposited at one of the following Canada Post approved sites*:
*Subject to change without notice. **Not accepted at this location. Delivery of Incentive Lettermail to top of page
General Terms and Conditions to top of page Go to General Terms and Conditions. |
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