Canada Post superbox vandalized, unfixed for weeks in Langford, B.C.

People in a Victoria-area neighbourhood have been unable to get mail for weeks from their community mailbox, after thieves vandalized it last month and Canada Post left it unrepaired.

Community mailboxes, also known as a "super boxes," have replaced home delivery in many Canadian communities as a cost-saving measure, despite being frequent targets for theft.

Canada Post stopped delivering to the damaged mailbox in Langford, B.C., after it was vandalized Aug. 25.

Maria Lironi said she had no idea where her mail was going, despite repeated attempts to call Canada Post and correspond on Twitter, until Sept. 14, nearly three weeks later, when a notice went up on the broken box saying mail could be picked up at a depot.

She is unsatisfied with that temporary fix, because the depot is 9 km away and only open four hours a day.

"We don't live on a bus route, so that means you have to have a car to get your mail," she said.

"If you have a nine-to-five job you also can't get your mail. And to kind of top it off, there's no parking at the depot."

New box coming

Lironi is concerned about mail fraud, and rethinking how she uses Canada Post.

"There might be a point where I no longer take any payments by cheque," said the communications consultant.

She would like mail hand-delivered to the eight affected households until the community mailbox is fixed, but Canada Post said that is not possible on the rural route.

"Unfortunately, we're just not resourced for that," said spokesperson Anick Losier.

A new mailbox, with additional security features, will be installed in a few weeks, she said.