People & Culture

Heartwarming tweets showcase dedication of Canada Post

Canada Post says they can often make delivery magic happen, even when address information is incomplete
  • Apr 23, 2020
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Have you ever received a letter or package that was addressed incorrectly — but made it to you anyway? You can thank Canada Post employees who go above and beyond to deliver the mail entrusted to them.

Alan Doyle, former lead singer of Canadian folk rock band Great Big Sea, received a letter sent from someone in British Columbia this week addressed to just “Alan Doyle, the musician from Petty Harbour.”

The sender even added a “Thank you for trying” message to Canada Post. 

When it did manage to reach Doyle’s hands, he posted a photo of the envelope on Twitter, prompting users to share dozens of similar amusing stories from across the country. 

Darlene Richter’s small daughter once mailed a letter from Sioux Lookout to Red Lake, Ont. addressed to just Grandma and Grandpa Troyer.

Pete Soucy wanted to send a postcard to friends when he was abroad in 1990, but didn’t know their exact address. The postcard made it with a general description of the house. 

In 2001, Gabriel Almada’s grandfather sent him a letter from Argentina, addressed with only his name, phone number and “Canada.”

Canada Post says it’s proud of the “dedicated employees who often go beyond to deliver mail to all Canadians,” adding that they see happy endings like this most often in smaller communities. 

“In many cases our employees investigate to complete an address either by correcting a street name, adding a house number or postal code.”

The agency says while surprise deliveries like Doyle’s are heartwarming, it’s important to include the full address and proper postage to make sure your mail reaches its intended recipient and is not returned to sender. 

If you have a fun story about an unlikely delivery by Canada Post, share it with us on social using #sharecangeo or tagging us @CanGeo on Twitter

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