FOPL has submitted a letter to MP Lightbound (federal) in support of the Canadian Urban Libraries Council (CULC). Proposed changes to Bill C-15 affect the Canada Post shipping rate for ILLO and Services for the . Please see the letter I submitted and we all a word doc to use as a template, should you wish to send a letter on behalf of your organizations. I have forwarded the email I have sent to Minister Lightbound (below) so that you may easily copy and paste that text and the email addresses as well. The committee is meeting this Friday, December 12th, so please send your letters before then if you plan to do so.
FOPL Letter C-15 – Canada Post Act
Note: This letter addresses ILLO and does not mention the shipping rate. CELA is spearheading an additional letter to address this separate issue.
More Info (provided by CELA):
Amendments to the Canada Post Corporation Act in
Bill C-15 (the Budget Implementation Bill)
- The Federal government introduced Bill C-15 (the Budget Implementation Act) on Tuesday, November 18, 2025. Bill C-15 is currently being debated in the House of Commons at Second Reading.
- Bill C-15 includes amendments to the Canada Post Corporation Act, which would, when passed, repeal Section 19 (1) (g) of the Act.
- Section 19 (1) (g)(i) provides for the ‘transmission by post, free of postage, of letters, books, tapes, records and other similar material for the use of the blind.’
- The proposed repeal of Section 19 (1) (g)(i) was included in Bill C-15 without the government mentioning their intent to do so in the Budget delivered by the Federal Minister of Finance on November 4, 2025; nor were impacted organizations advised, or consulted with, in advance of its introduction.
- C-15 repeals Paragraphs 19(1)(d) to (g.1) of the Act. This section was the result of a Private Members’ Bill (Bill C-321) which received Royal Assent in 2013 and was supported by all parties in the House of Commons. C-321 specifically amended the Canada Post Corporations Act to provide for a reduced rate of postage for library materials lent by a library to a borrower, including by means of an interlibrary loan. C-15 eliminates the provisions agreed to by the House of Commons and Senate in Bill C-321.
- The impacts on both people who are blind and organizations that provide critical services to these individuals is enormous. Changes to the Library Shipping Tool shipping rate impact nearly all public libraries who sent and receive ILLOs across the province.
- As Parliament continues its study of Bill C-15 at Second Reading, it is incumbent upon organizations and impacted by this change to raise their objections to the Minister responsible for Canada Post, the Hon. Joël Lightbound, and to seek an opportunity to appear before the House and Senate Committees that will be charged with reviewing the legislation.
- It will also be essential to raise the issue with Members of Parliament, Senators, and the media to ensure awareness and an understanding of what the ramifications of the repeal are to a vulnerable group of citizens.
- If opposition to the repeal is not voiced, Parliament will assume that there are no concerns with the proposed changes.
- Time is of the essence, as the House of Commons is seeking to complete its Second Reading debate of Bill C-15 and refer the legislation to Committee before the House rises for the winter break on Friday, December 12, 2025.
- The Senate has begun a pre-study of the legislation and the Senate Committee on
Transport and Communications has been charged with reviewing sections of Bill C-15 impacting the Canada Post Corporations Act. To date, it is has not heard from any witnesses affected by the proposed repeal of Section 19 (1) (g)(i). - We would expect the government to seek to have Bill C-15 pass all stages of review in the House of Commons and the Senate by early February 2026.
- This leaves little time for Parliament to consider amendments to the legislation, including the reversal of the proposed repeal of Section 19 (1) (g)(i) of the Canada Post Corporations Act from Bill C-15.