Mail Services Guidelines

The University of Guelph Mail Services is a centralized mail service established to assist University Departments.

The following guide has been prepared as a source of basic information to help you make the most efficient and economical use of University of Guelph’s Mail Services. These guidelines should eliminate unnecessary returns, delays, or excessive postage charges on outgoing mail.

These guidelines include some Canada Post Regulations, including their Priority Courier Regulations, and the University’s procedures for the smooth, effective operation of the mail system.

Your cooperation on the following these guidelines will contribute to the operating efficiency of the mail system.

Please contact Mail Services for additional information on Postal Rates, Regulations and questions regarding mailing services at (519)824-4120 x52264.

Hours of Operation

Mail Services is located in Room 020 University Centre and serves the University Community from 8:00 A.M. to 11:30 AM and Noon to 3:00 P.M., Monday to Friday, with the exception of statutory holidays.

Mail Services Responsibilities

The following are the responsibilities of Mail Services:

To provide a centralized cost effective and efficient distribution system for official University of Guelph Mail.
To provide information, advice and training to clients of Mail Services
To act as an intermediary service for University departments with the Ontario Universities Inter University Transit Systems (IUTS)
To ensure compliance with the laws, regulations and rate structure of Canada Post.

Customer Responsibilities

The following are the responsibilities of the customer:

To ensure department staff are aware of and abide by the guidelines in this document
To notify Mail Services of changes in location, office hours, and personnel, including the names of visiting professors, to ensure mail is delivered accurately
To secure mail into bundles not larger than 4” high with two elastic bands, one across the width and one across the length of the bundled envelopes. Include in each bundle the proper Account Card.
In order to facilitate mail pick up, please notify Mail Services at least one day prior to pick up, if your volume of mail is unusually large.

Restrictions, Junk Mail and Dangerous Goods

The internal distribution of external commercial or business advertising matter, give-aways and/or promotional material are not allowed unless received directly from Canada Post, properly addressed to individuals and/or departments.

Should you receive unwanted, unsolicited mail, often referred to as junk mail, it is recommended you return it to the sender and demand to have your name removed from future mailings. Inter Department and outgoing mail will be processed and distributed only if it pertains to official University of Guelph activities. Official mail may include promotional material distributed on behalf of University of Guelph departments.

Mail Services assumes the good faith and integrity of University personnel in that University mail will be used for matters on official business only. However, as a courtesy, Mail Services will pick-up and forward to Canada Post personal mail provided the appropriate postage is affixed and the mail is bundled separately.

The University mail system must not be used for chain letters, distributing unauthorized advertising, or non official university documents.

Dangerous Goods

Items classified as dangerous goods cannot be handled or mailed by Mail Services and/or Canada Post. For information please contact Alice Rigby, (519)824-4120 x52264 for procedures regarding the transport of dangerous goods.

Information about Transportation of Dangerous Goods – TDG may be found on the Transport Canada website [1].
University of Guelph Policy for Transportation of Dangerous Goods [2] on the Human Resources website.
For further details of Canada Post restrictions, please contact Mail Services, (519)824-4120 x52264.

6. Pick Up and Delivery Schedule

Mail is collected and delivered throughout the campus on a regular basis.

Departments wanting mail processed the same day and who have missed the mail pickup may bring their mail to the Mailroom before 1:30pm. This will ensure that the mail will reach Canada Post the same day.

7. Charges

As University departments exercise control over their mailing activities, the cost of postage and special services for outgoing mail is charged back to the customer through the Financial Reporting System (FRS).

Mail charges will be posted in FRS. The billing cut-off date will be the 28th of each month. Charges in FRS will include the postage costs plus the non-rebatable portion of HST. All postal rates are subject to the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST).

A University Department Account Card from Mail Services identifying the G.L. Account must accompany each bundle. The expense code for postage and special services is 64311. These Account Cards will be the method of identifying where costs are allocated.

Please contact Mail Services, (519)824-4120 52264 for Account Cards. Lost Cards must be reported to Mail Services immediately.

Requests for new Account Cards to identify separate (additional) accounts will not be provided unless the volume of mail to be charged exceeds 500 pieces per semester. Customers who do not meet the minimum quantity per semester may be charged the minimum fee for 500 pieces.

8. Basic Preparation

To help Mail Services operate effectively and efficiently, mail must be properly prepared by the sending department.

Preparation includes:

All envelopes must have a University of Guelph return address identifying the sending department
Flaps on unsealed envelopes must be overlapped
All mail must be pre-sorted into separate bundles as follows:
INTER DEPARTMENT
CANADA DESTINATIONS
USA DESTINATIONS
INTERNATIONAL (OVERSEAS)
INTER UNIVERSITY TRANSIT SYSTEM (IUTS)
Each bundle with the exception of Inter Department and IUTS mail must be securely banded with two elastic bands, one across the width and one across the length of the bundled envelopes, with the Account Card captured on top.
mail that does not meet the above will be returned to the sender.

8.1 Inter Department Mail

Inter department envelopes are available from our current stationery supplier. These envelopes are designed to be used repeatedly.

Addressing information for inter department mail must include full department name, not initials, and a specific person’s name, if applicable.

These envelopes can only be used for Inter department mail and not for Inter University Transit System (IUTS) or Canada Post.

8.1.1. Bulk Inter Department and Student Mail

Often the need to use address labels or to insert department flyers, circulars, announcements, etc. can be eliminated. Please contact Mail Services, (519)824-4120 x 52264 for advice.

All addressed bulk mailings, 50 or more similar pieces, must be pre-sorted and bundled by department.

Student bulk mailings are to be sorted and bundled by building number and then by student box number.

8.2 External Mail

Departments sending official University mail to addresses off campus are responsible for the proper preparation of all lettermail and parcels.

The following guidelines and appendices should eliminate unnecessary returns, delays, or excessive postage charges on outgoing mail.

8.2.1. External Addressing

Each piece of mail must clearly identify the name of the originating department in the top left hand corner of the envelope, under the University of Guelph logo. This will ensure that undeliverable mail can be returned to the sender.

All mail must be properly addressed. The recipient’s name, agency or company, street address or P.O. Box, city, province or state, country and postal code or zip code is required. The postal code must always appear last on the envelope and must reflect the proper address. No other information should be placed below the postal code.

Do not abbreviate international addresses, with the exception of the U.S.A. Use the complete spelling of a foreign city and country.

Refer to APPENDIX B for CANADIAN AND UNITED STATES POSTAL ABBREVIATIONS.

8.2.2. Enclosures

Mail must be enclosed in an appropriate envelope or parcel.

Items must be properly packed and safe to handle.

Restrictions apply to the mailing of certain items to foreign countries. Please contact Mail Services, (519)824-4120 x 52264, for information regarding restrictions and advice on how to package fragile or unusual material.

8.2.2.1. Envelopes

Standard envelopes are available from our current stationery supplier.
Window envelopes must be matched with the insert to ensure the entire address will show through the window, even when the insert slides inside the envelope.
Mail Services will seal external mail envelopes. To facilitate this, the customers are asked to “fan” the flaps. “Fanning” is overlapping unsealed flaps.
Mail must also be faced so that all pieces are readable within a bundle without turning the envelopes.

8.2.2.2. Parcels

All parcels must be packed securely. The recipient’s addressing information must be clearly printed in the centre of the parcel (on both sides) and the originating department in the top left hand corner.

Items classified as dangerous goods cannot be handled or mailed by Mail Services and/or Canada Post.

It is advisable to show the address of the sender and of the addressee inside the parcel and identified on the items as much as possible.

8.2.3. Lettermail Rates

Refer to APPENDIX C for POSTAL RATES – CANADA, UNITED STATES and INTERNATIONAL (OTHER COUNTRIES). Please note: these rates do not include HST which will be added and charged back as detailed in Section 7.0. Contact Mail Services, (519)824-4120 x52264 for assistance on additional rates and classifications not included in this appendix.

8.2.3.1. Bulk Mail Rates

Departments mailing large volumes of printed matter may qualify for volume discount rates. Material must be identical in weight and size and total more than 1000 pieces per mailing. Contact Mail Services, (519)824-4120 x52264 for details.

8.3 U.S.A. and International Mail

All mail forwarded outside Canada falls under international rates and regulations which vary widely from country to country. Rates and types of services available are too numerous and complex to list. Please contact Mail Services, (519)824-4120 x52264 to determine the proper rates, classification, and obtain the documents which may be required for customs declaration.

Failure to comply with the regulations can result in additional expenses and delays.

8.3.1. Custom Requirements

Letter mail and parcels going out of the country via Canada Post require appropriate Custom Documents completed by the sender. Exceptions are letters containing correspondence and Printed Papers that are known not to be dutiable. Mail Services, (519)824-4120 x52264 will provide you with the forms, and clarification of the regulations if required.

8.4 Business Reply Mail

A Department wishing to have mail returned, i.e. surveys, invitations, etc. in a postage paid envelope should use Business Reply Mail.

Business Reply mail is a contractual agreement with Canada Post and requires a permit number and business reply indicia issued by Canada Post. The permit is available for use by the department through Mail Services. As Canada Post is very strict on the enforcement of the format, do not design Business Reply mail pieces without contacting Mail Services, (519)824-4120 x52264.

9. Inter University Transit System (IUTS)

Operating under the Ontario Council of Universities, the IUTS provides a secure and reliable daily distribution service among Ontario Universities and other agencies pertaining to library books, small packages, teaching, research material and official University mail with no postage required. IUTS is a weekly delivery service.

10. Canada Post Special Services

Reference Websites:

Postal Code Look Up at: Canada Post [3]
Yellow Pages Address Search at: canada411 [4]

Mail Services provides the following Canada Post services:

10.1 Registered

Registered Mail is an optional service to Lettermail items. The mailer upon request to Mail Services will be provided with a proof of mailing and a signature is obtained from the addressee, or the addressee’s representative, before delivery is completed. Registered items are processed through the regular Lettermail stream.

10.2 XPRESSPOST

XPRESSPOST is time sensitive service with a built in confirmation option which allows the customer to verify the delivery status of the item by calling a toll free number. This service provides a guaranteed speed (1 business day local, 2-3 business days between Canadian urban centres). Available for documents and packages, XPRESSPOST replaces domestic Special Delivery/Special Letter, Counter Expedited parcels and Commercial Air parcels service.

10.3 Priority Couriers

This is a guaranteed delivery service for urgent time sensitive items. In most cases items deposited at a postal outlet in any of the following 3 regions (Quebec/Ontario, Western provinces, Atlantic provinces) in Canada will be delivered to the address on the next business day. Across Canada service is generally next business day between most major centres. The Priority Courier Guarantee applies to all Priority Courier Shipments.

10.4 Insurance

Insurance is a service where Canada Post provides compensation for the loss, rifling or damage of mailable items if the requirements of the Indemnity subject are met.

Canada Post provides numerous other special services but are too lengthy to detail in this document. Please contact Mail Services, (519)824-4120 x52264 for details.

11. Couriers

Mail Services does not co-ordinate private couriers, with the exception of Canada Post Priority Courier.

For additional information, contact Purchasing Services, (519)824-4120 x52541, regarding Purolator, Federal Express, etc.

12. Helpful Hints

Keep your mail lists up-to-date
Canada Post applies a minimum surcharge of $0.13 on letter mail which does not include a postal code
Non-standard envelopes cost a premium
Letters should be folded in three and put in a standard envelope to get the best first class rate
Departments wanting mail processed the same day may bring their mail to the mailroom before 1:30pm
It is strongly recommended that persons expecting a courier item provide the sender with their correct name and proper University address (building, department, and very important – room number)
Undeliverable (dead letters) are destroyed after 10 days
First class Canadian lettermail does not require air mail identifiers under 500 Grams (3/16” thick)
Separate bundles: Inter Department, Canada, USA, International, IUTS
fan all envelopes to be sealed
Seal thick envelopes because the metering machine cannot perform this function
Give advance notice to Mail Services for large mailouts of 500 pieces or more so mail tubs can be provided
Where possible, use electronic mail

Appendix A
STUDENT HOUSING BOX NUMBER SEQUENCE
LOCATION	CURRENT NUMBER	NEW NUMBER	NUMBER OF STUDENTS
MOUNTAIN HALL	-	-	550
Valley	011	111	-
Foothill	012	112	-
Woodlands	013	113	-
Glacier	014	114	-
PRAIRIE HALL	-	-	540
Horizon	015	121	-
Grasslands	016	122	-
Homestead	017	123	-
Tundra	018	124	-
MARITIME HALL	-	-	550
Cove	019	131	-
Seaway	020	132	-
Harbour	021	133	-
Schooner	022	134	-
JOHNSTON HALL	031	210	550
MILLS HALL	035	220	-
MAIDS HALL	036	230	-
LAMBTON HALL	051	240	490
WATSON HALL	072	260	20
ADDINGTON	172	270	650
LENNOX-A	173	280	-
LENNOX-C	174	290	-
EAST	-	-	-
Dundas	610	310	-
Lanark	620	320	-
Glengary 1-9	630	330	-
Glengary 10-12	631	330	-
East Town Houses	340	340	800
OVC	010	010	500

Appendix B
CANADIAN AND UNITED STATES POSTAL ABBREVIATIONS January 30, 1998
Canadian Provinces and Territories
Alberta	AB	Nova Scotia	NS
British Columbia	BC	Ontario	ON
Manitoba	MB	Prince Edward Island	PE
New Brunswick	NB	Quebec	QC
Newfoundland	NF	Saskatchewan	SK
North West Territories	NT	Yukon Territory	YT
United States and Outlying Areas
Alabama	AL	Montana	MT
Alaska	AK	Nebraska	NB
Arizona	AZ	Nevada	NV
Arkansas	AR	New Hampshire	NH
California	CA	New Jersey	NJ
Colorado	CO	New Mexico	NM
Connecticut	CT	New York	NY
Delaware	DE	North Carolina	NC
District of Columbia	DC	North Dakota	ND
Florida	FL	Ohio	OH
Georgia	GA	Oklahoma	OK
Guam	GU	Oregon	OR
Hawaii	HI	Pennsylvania	PA
Idaho	ID	Puerto Rico	PR
Illinois	IL	Rhode Island	RI
Indiana	IN	South Carolina	SC
Iowa	IA	South Dakota	SD
Kansas	KS	Tennesee	TN
Kentucky	KY	Texas	TX
Louisiana	LA	Utah	UT
Maine	ME	Vermont	VT
Maryland	MD	Virgin Islands	VI
Massachusetts	MA	Virginia	VA
Michigan	MI	Wasington	WA
Minnesota	MN	West Virginia	WV
Mississippi	MS	Wisconsin	WI
Missouri	MO	Wyoming	WY

Appendix C - Postal Rates
CANADA LETTERMAIL POSTAL RATES	Weight	Cost
standard letters and postcards	up to 30g	$0.85
standard letters and postcards	31 to 50g	$1.20
other lettermail items (including non-standard/oversize items)	up to 100g	$1.80
other lettermail items (including non-standard/oversize items)	up to 200g	$2.95
other lettermail items (including non-standard/oversize items)	200g to 300g	$4.10
other lettermail items (including non-standard/oversize items)	300g to 400g	$4.70
other lettermail items (including non-standard/oversize items)	400g to 500g	$5.05

CANADA LETTERMAIL SIZES	length	width	thickness
minimum standard letter and postcard size	14cm	9cm	0.18mm
maximum standard letter size	24.5cm	15cm	0.5cm
maximum standard postcard size	23.5cm	12.0cm	0.5cm
maximum oversize letter size	38cm	27cm	2cm

Notes:

Lettermail exceeding 38 cm in length, 27 cm in width or 2 cm in thickness must be posted at the applicable Parcel Rate.
Letters or cards paid by postage stamps that do not meet the ratio but are within the maximum standard sizes or that are smaller than the minimum size required for standards lettermail are to be charged at the standard lettermail rate.

U.S.A., ITS TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS LETTER-POST RATES		Weight	Cost
Standard letters and postcards		up to 30g	$1.20
Standard letters and postcards		31 to 50g	$1.80
USA letter post sizes	Length	Width	Thickness
minimum standard letter post	14cm	9cm	0.18cm
maximum standard letter post	24.5cm	15cm	5mm
minimum oversize letter post	24.5cm	15cm	5mm
maximum oversize letter post	38cm	27cm	2cm
minimum postcards	14cm	9cm	-
maximum postcards	14.8cm	10.5cm	-
minimum letter packages	14cm	9cm	-
maximum letter packages	Greatest Dimensions: length, width or depth 1.05m; length plus girth 2m

Notes: Incentive letter-post rates are available under Agreement, contact Mail Services, (519)824-4120 x52264, for more information.

INTERNATIONAL (OTHER COUNTRIES) LETTER-POST RATES (excluding Canada/U.S.A.)	Weight	Cost
letters and postcards	up to 30g	2.50
letters and postcards	31g to 50g	$3.60

Contact Mail Services, (519)824-4120 x 52264 for other rates