Classes of Canadian Mail: Different Types of Mails by Canada Post. Pricing, Size, Shipping Time & Requirements
There are different classes of Canadian Mail. While you may be familiar with many of them, most of you have limited knowledge of their unique characteristics. The pricing, size, shipping time, and other direct mail requirements can vary depending on the different types of Canadian Mail you use.
Some of the popular types of Mail by Canada Post used for business communication include the following:
- Lettermail – First Class (Used for Non-Promotional/Non-Marketing Communication Mails)
- Personalized Mail – Standard Class (Used for Personalized Marketing Communication Mails) – Formerly Addressed Admail
- Neighbourhood Mail – Bulk Mailing (Used for New Customer Acquisition) – Formerly Unaddressed Admail
- Publications Mail – (Used for Newsletters, Newspapers, and Magazines)
- Parcel Mail – Used for Mailing Parcels and Packages
Now that we have listed the different classes of Canadian Mail, let us ̧ look at their characteristic features in detail.
Lettermail
First Class (Used for Non-Promotional/Non-Marketing Communication Mails)
Lettermail is one of the most popular postal mail services offered by Canada Mail. It is incredibly convenient and cost-effective. Canada Post’s Lettermail service is ideal for sending the following:
- Business correspondence
- Personal messages
- Billing Statements
- Invoice
Some of the popular applications of Canada Post’s Lettermail include sending:
- Letters
- Cards
- Reports (annual, quarterly, etc.)
- CDs and DVDs
- Notices for voting events
- Flexible magnets
There are numerous applications to Lettermail, but it is generally used for sending the things that we have listed above. Usually, Lettermail falls into two categories, and they are:
- Standard Lettermail
- Non-standard and Oversize Lettermail
Canada Post categorizes Lettermail into Standard and Non-standard (Oversize) Lettermail based on the size and weight of the mailer. The following table should help you better understand the size and weight requirements of the two types of Lettermail.
Standard
| Weight | Postal Indica | Postage Meter |
| Up to 30 g | $1.24 | $1.23 |
| 30 g to 50 g | $1.75 | $1.75 |
The minimum weight for standard letter mail should be 2 g, and the acceptable dimensions are 245 mm x 156 mm x 5 mm (9.6 inches x 6.1 inches x 0.2 inches).
Non-Standard
| Weight | Postal indicia | Postage meter |
| 0 g up to 100 g | $2.61 | $2.61 |
| Over 100 g up to 200 g | $4.29 | $4.29 |
| Over 200 g up to 300 g | $5.98 | $5.98 |
| Over 300 g up to 400 g | $6.85 | $6.85 |
| Over 400 g up to 500 g | $7.36 | $7.36 |
A non-standard and oversized lettermail should be 3g and 5g, respectively. The maximum acceptable dimensions are 380 mm x 270 mm x 20 mm (14.9 inches x 10.6 inches x 0.8 inches).
Personalized Mail
Standard Class (Used for Personalized Marketing Communication Mails) – Formerly Addressed Admail
According to the Canada Post, Personalized Mail is defined as the mailing service with the primary intention of motivating the recipient to take action. The Personalized Mail usually uses one of the following strategies to encourage the recipient to take action.
- It promotes a product/service/program/event.
- Ask for donations or contributions.
- Reports on financial performance.
- It promotes some sort of loyalty program.
Personalized Mail often uses Standard Mail delivery. You can observe more details of Personalized Mail from the table below.
| Attribute | Personalized Mail |
| Weight | 0g to 1.36kg |
| Minimum Size | 140 mm x 90 mm x 0.18 mm
or 5.6 inches x 3.6 inches x 0.007 inches |
| Maximum Size | 380 mm x 270 mm x 20 mm
or 14.9 inches x 10.6 inches x 0.8 inches |
| Pricing | $0.50 to $3.024 |
| Minimum Quantity | 100 |
| Shipping Time | 4 -15 days |
Neighbourhood Mail
Bulk Mailing (Used for New Customer Acquisition) – Formerly Unaddressed Admail
Neighbourhood Mail was formerly called unaddressed mail. It is a targeted direct mail product from Canada Post. Neighbourhood Mail enables you to send marketing mailers to an audience in a particular area even if you don’t have their address.
However, there are a few conditions in using Neighbourhood Mail. First of all, you should not provide any address on the Neighbourhood Mail. The next thing you need to do is to meet the minimum volume requirement for Neighbourhood Mail.
| Weight | Price for Standard Maol | Price for Oversized Mail |
| Up to 50g | 18.4¢ | 20.0¢ |
| 50 g to 100 g | 21.1¢ | 23.2¢ |
| Over 100 g | 31.8¢ + 0.28¢ per g over 100 g | 33.9¢ + 0.28¢ per g over 100 g |
Note: The maximum dimension for non-letter carrier routes is 14 inches x 11 inches x 1.5 inches with a maximum weight of 1,000 g or 35.3 oz.
Publications Mail
(Used for Newsletters, Newspapers, and Magazines)
Publications Mail is a postal mail service from Canada Post, ideal for sending Periodical Mail. In other words, Publications Mail is the perfect choice for you if you want to send magazines, newsletters, or editorials. However, you must ensure that it does not contain more than 70% advertising.
| Category | Minimum Volume | Up to 50 g | Up to 500 g | Up to 1.36kg |
| Machineable | 100 | $0.595 | $0.930 + $0.0042 per g over 100 g | – |
| Special Handling | 1000 | – | – | Local: $0.730 + $0.0043 per g over 200 g Regional: $0.770 + $0.0044 per g over 200 g National: $0.770 + $0.0044 per g over 200 g |
| Delivery Facility | 50 | – | – | Local: $0.585 + $0.0034 per g over 100 g Regional: $0.735 + $0.0041 per g over 100 g National: $0.945 + $0.0043 per g over 100 g |
Parcel Mail
Used for Mailing Parcels and Packages
Canada Post offers a Parcel Mail service that lets you send packages of printed materials conveniently. The postal mail service is perfect if you want to send large volume packages, as it offers drop shipping. Canada Post further sweetens the offer by providing local rates and delivery times.
There are mainly two types of Parcel Mail used by businesses, and they are
- Expedited Mail
- Priority and Express Mail
| Type of Service | Extra Small | Small | Medium | Large | Maximum acceptable weight | Maximum acceptable thickness |
| Priority Mail | – | – | $57.0 | $67.90 | Up to 1 kg | Up to 30 mm |
| Xpress Post | – | $96.50 | $101.15 | – | 1.36 | No maximum thickness |
| Flat Rate Boxes | $18.99 | $21.99 | $24.99 | $32.99 | 5kg | Bundles of 12 |
Conclusion
Canada Post offers a wide range of postal mail services that can quickly deliver practically any direct mail requirement you have. However, it is hard to keep track of every detail concerning every different type of mail by Canada Post.
Keeping track of the fluctuating postage rate of different classes of Canadian Mail can become a daunting task. However, there is a quick fix for this problem. Using an automated direct mail system such as PostGrid, you no longer have to worry about your direct mail process.
PostGrid takes care of all your direct mail needs. It keeps track of all the different postage rates and dimensional requirements for various classes of Canadian Mail. All you have to do is set when and where you want your postal Mail delivered, and PostGrid will do it for you.
Also Read: US Postage RatesFAQs
How Do Flat Rate Boxes Work?
They give you the option of shipping packages anywhere in Canada at a single rate, irrespective of the weight (to the limits of the box). The services include tracking, on-time delivery guarantees, and liability cover. Flat Rate Boxes are convenient when a small business requires sending the same type of shipment.
Which Mailing Class Is the Best One to Use?
It will depend on your budget, urgency, and other features that you might need. Regular Mail might be the best solution in case cost is the key aspect. Where speed and dependability are of primary concern, you can use Xpresspost or Priority.
Do All Canada Post Mailing Classes Offer Delivery Guarantees?
There are certain classes with delivery guarantees, like Priority and Xpresspost. You will get a refund if the deadline has been missed. There are other classes, like the Regular Mail, that do not guarantee any delivery.
