TRAVEL TIPS

Mail

Canada's national postal system is called Canada Post. There are few actual post-office buildings in Toronto. Instead, many drugstores have post-office counters that offer full mail services. Check the Canada Post website for locations; a red, blue, and white Canada Post sign will also be affixed to the storefront. Post offices are closed weekends, and there is no mail delivery on weekends. During the week most post offices are open from 8 to 6 or from 9 to 7.

You can buy stamps at the post office, railway stations, airports, bus terminals, many retail outlets, and some newsstands. Letters can be dropped into red Canada Post boxes on the street or mailed from Canada Post counters in drugstores or post offices. If you're sending mail to or within Canada, be sure to include the postal code—six digits and letters. Note that the suite number may appear before the street number in an address, followed by a hyphen. The postal abbreviation for Ontario is ON.

Main postal outlets for products and services in the downtown area are the Adelaide Street Post Office; the Atrium on Bay Post Office near the Marriott, the Eaton Chelsea Hotel, and the Eaton Centre; and Postal Station "F," one block southeast of the major Bloor-Yonge intersection.

The Canadian postal system is almost identical to the U.S. system. To send regular letters within Canada, just ask for a letter stamp, which is C63¢. Stamps for letters to the United States are C$1.10. Stamps for letters to countries other than the United States are C$1.85. Envelopes that exceed 30 grams (1 ounce) or are oversized cost incrementally more. Letter stamps are also sold in books of 10 or rolls of 100 for domestic and in books of six or rolls of 50 for international.

When sending mail other than a letter weighing less than 30 grams, take your envelope or package to a postal counter in a drugstore or to the post office to have it weighed and priced accordingly.

Mail may be sent to you care of General Delivery, Toronto Adelaide Street Post Office, 36 Adelaide Street East, Toronto, ON M5C 1J0.

Info

Canada Post (416/979–8822; 866/607–6301 in Canada. www.canadapost.ca.)

Main Branches

Adelaide Street Post Office (31 Adelaide St. E, Financial District, Toronto, ON, M5C 2J0. 866/607–6301.)

Atrium on Bay Post Office (595 Bay St., Dundas Square Area, Toronto, ON, M5G 1M6. 416/506–0911.)

Postal Station "F" (50 Charles St. E, Yorkville, Toronto, ON, M4Y 2G1. 416/413–4815.)

Shipping Packages

Customs forms are required with international parcels. Parcels sent regular post typically take up to two weeks. The fastest service is FedEx, which has 24-hour locations at University and Dundas and at Bloor and Spadina. "Overnight" service with Canada Post usually takes two days.

Express Services

FedEx (505 University Ave., at Dundas St. W, Chinatown, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X3. 416/979–8447. www.fedex.ca. 459 Bloor St. W, at Major St., The Annex, M5S 1X9. 416/928–0110. 357 Bay St., at Temperance St., Entertainment District, M5H 2T7. 416/363–2705.)

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