Mailboxes

Canada Post delivers mail to its rural customers through the use of mailboxes erected on the shoulder of rural roadways. General standards for the construction and installation of rural mailboxes are established by Canada Post (find Canada Post Guidelines here) and are available at your local Post Office, by calling Canada Post Customer Service at 1-800-267-1177 or by visiting www.canadapost.ca​.

Dufferin County policy regarding damaged mailboxes follows and applies to Dufferin County Roads only. For other roads, including Side-Roads and Lines, contact your local municipality.

Mailboxes are subject to a variety of destructive processes due to their proximity to roads, including but not limited to:

• Vandalism
• Salt
• Water and age deterioration
• Motor vehicle collisions
• Oversized loads
• Roadside and shoulder maintenance
• Construction
• Improper installation and use of inferior materials

Mailboxes are most commonly damaged during winter weather events, as a result of being hit by ice, snow and winds. In general, if a mailbox and/or post is damaged by the impact of snow load from plowing operations, the County is not negligent and, therefore, not responsible for the repair.

If County equipment hits a mailbox or post, Dufferin County assumes responsibility for same. A claim must be submitted within 10 days of the date of loss. Repairs made by the landowner, tenant or agent will not be reimbursed by Dufferin County. County staff must execute an investigation to determine how the damage occurred. Delayed claims or alterations of the scene prevents the County from executing an investigation and results in a denied claim.

If a call is received concerning a mailbox, administration staff will refer the location, name and phone number regarding the damage complaint to the Operations Department and they will determine the extent of County responsibility.

When damage is assumed by the County, the County will repair it if possible. If not, the mailbox will be replaced with a standard steel mailbox on a 6 inch diameter wood post only.

Timing of repairs and replacements are determined by weather and staff availability. If replacement is delayed, the County will place a temporary mailbox at their first opportunity.

In all cases, the public is advised that mailboxes should be properly constructed at the proper height and location. Metal/steel is the preferred material for rural mailboxes.

Please see our Instructions for Installation for more information.