Canada Post launches annual Free Parcel Service to Deployed Military Personnel

Once again, Canada Post is offering free delivery of letters and parcels to deployed troops from their family and friends during this holiday season.

“For the 16th consecutive year, Canada Post is offering free delivery of letters and parcels to deployed troops from their family and friends during this holiday season. We understand how important these messages are to uplift the spirits of members of the Canadian Armed Forces serving overseas,” said Nicole Lecompte, media relations Canada Post, in a statement.

The window for this free delivery of Lettermail and Regular Parcel items runs from October 13, 2021, to January 14, 2022, with Lettermail (under 500 grams) deliveries extended until December 31, 2022.

There have been capacity limitations on military aircraft carrying supplies to deployed forces. So Canada Post is offering this to family and friends of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members serving overseas only.

“Due to capacity limitations on military aircraft carrying supplies to deployed forces, this offer is restricted to family and friends of Canadian Armed Forces members serving overseas. You can find all policies related to sending mail to troops serving overseas on our website,” noted Lecompte.

According to CANGORGEN 142/21 released on September 27, 2021, parcels will be delivered free of charge from any Canada Post retail outlet to designated CAF bases and then forwarded through the CAF postal system to personnel overseas.

Packages intended for Christmas should be sent by Nov. 16, 2021.

To ensure deployed loved ones receive their parcel, people should confirm the military personnel’s overseas address with them. The free delivery offer is restricted to the below operations served by the following addresses:

• • • Halifax NS B3K 5X5
    • Belleville ON K8N 5W6 and
    • Victoria BC V9A 7N2

Additional mailing guidelines regarding letter size and parcel sizes can be found at the Write to the Troops website here. To ensure the mail being shipped out has the right customs declaration forms and correct addressing info, all letters, and parcels must be deposited at a Canada Post retail outlet.

Mail deposited in street letter boxes will not be delivered.

In accordance with CANFORGEN: charitable goods donations, “the use of CAF postal services for the purpose of shipping charitable goods/humanitarian aid is not authorized.”

It is important to note Canada Post’s offer of free postage services to deployed members is meant for friends and family of the deployed CAF member in question.

Letters/Cards addressed to “Any CAF Member” can be sent but need a postage stamp. An option to save mailing costs is to combine multiple letters and cards into one larger package for sending, as only the package itself will need to be paid for.

For all postal-related inquires, please visit here.

Policies related to sending mail to troops serving overseas can be found on the Canada Post website here.