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Postal Guide

Publications Mail™ Customer Guide

Effective January 14, 2008

PDF to print

Important Updates
for January 2008

The following table provides a list of the significant changes made to this Customer Guide, along with the associated link to the modified section.

Description of Change
Location
Clarified the location where most current version of the Customer Guide can be found.
Changed section name from “Glossary of Terms”. New terms were added (beauty seal, origin-destination table and scent strip) as well as other clarifications throughout.
Improved National Service Standards and other clarifications.
Description of enhanced Undeliverable Publications Mail service.
Clarified packaging requirements for common allergens and other clarifications.
Clarification to two or more back issues.
Clarification on binding.
Added “scent strip”, “beauty seal” and “maps and posters” to the acceptable enclosures listing.
Removed maps, posters and trinkets from examples of Samples and Promotional/Novelty Items.
Clarified what is not acceptable as a host publication.
Addition of imperial measurements for Customer convenience.
Weight adjustment from 25 kg to 22.7 kg for Bundles of Unaddressed Copies.
Clarification to mail preparation requirements for Bundles of Unaddressed Copies.
New distance based pricing structure for Letter Carrier Presort (LCP) mailings.
Clarified that samples are only required at time of deposit of the first Order and other clarifications.
Clarified that for Letter Carrier Presort (LCP) partial mailings, the Mailing Summary is only required at the time of first deposit.
Specified that partial mailings must be deposited within fifteen (15) business days and other clarifications.
Changed address for Ottawa ON in the Machineable Mail Approved Deposit Sites table.
New distance based pricing structure for Letter Carrier Presort (LCP) mailings.
New pricing description for Letter Carrier Presort (LCP) mailing.
Clarified information related to enhanced Undeliverable Publications Mail service
Changed section names and references to General Terms and Conditions.
Paying for Your Mailing - Improved layout and various clarifications throughout the section.
General Terms and Conditions - Various modifications throughout the section.
NOTE :
References to the following terms have been modified for consistency throughout the Customer Guide:
  • Short and Long or (S/L) modified to: Short and Long (S/L)
  • Oversize or (O/S) modified to: Oversize (O/S)

Table of Contents

1

Service Overview

  to top of page

1.1

The Purpose of This Publications Mail Customer Guide

This Customer Guide has been designed to give Customers detailed information needed to get the most from Canada Post’s Publications Mail service.

This Customer Guide forms part of the Agreement between the Customer and Canada Post. It explains the qualifications and other terms and conditions under which this service is provided.

Customers should ensure they are using the most current version of the Customer Guide and other applicable documents, which are posted on the Canada Post website. See in particular, www.canadapost.ca/postalservices for key documents.

It is the Customer’s obligation to meet all the requirements outlined in the Publications Mail Agreement.

NOTE :
Some words and expressions used in this document have a specific meaning. Please refer to section 1 “Definitions” of the General Terms and Conditions for the definition of specific terms referenced throughout this document and this Agreement.

1.2

Publications Mail Terminology

For the purpose of this Customer Guide, the following terms refer specifically to Publications Mail.

address carrier
(acceptable enclosure)
separate enclosure (normally a single sheet or overcover used to provide the recipient’s address for delivery purposes), which is either attached to the outside of the publication or enclosed as an outsert with the host publication in a wrapper
may contain advertising or a promotional message and a response mechanism, such as a Business Reply Mail™ item
must not be personalized with more than the address block information of the addressee
advertising brochure
(acceptable enclosure)
a thin collection of unbound or stapled or press-pasted printed pages displaying a sampling of products or services for sale, which may include prices and item numbers
must not be perfect bound or similar to perfect bound
must not contain the word “CATALOGUE” or “CATALOG”
should not have an index or table of contents
advertorial
(acceptable enclosure)
an advertising piece that is formatted to look like a newsletter or other host publication in order to attract a reader’s attention
must be clearly identified as “ADVERTISING”, “ADVERTORIAL” or “PROMOTIONAL” (or similar wording) on the front page/cover, otherwise it may be treated as a co-packaged publication and priced accordingly
back issue
(acceptable enclosure)
previously published copy/issue of the host publication
a back issue may be individually addressed as a host publication or enclosed and priced with a host publication
two or more back issues of a host publication may be sent as a Bundle of Unaddressed Copies
base price
the price corresponding to the base weight
base weight
the initial weight step for pricing purposes, i.e., up to 100 grams for Machineable and NDG and up to 200 grams for LCP
beauty seal
(acceptable enclosure priced with the host publication)
less than a single use of a cosmetic product sealed and attached to a page or to another acceptable enclosure in a way that does not substantially increase the thickness of the page or enclosure
book
(not an acceptable host publication or enclosure, but may be sent by co-packaging)
a collection of printed or manuscript pages sewn or glued together along one side and bound between rigid boards or flexible covers, which is published or intended for publication
published books normally contain an International Standard Book Number (ISBN)
booklet
(acceptable enclosure)
a thin collection of unbound or bound printed pages between flexible covers whose content is related to the editorial content of the host publication
booklets must not adversely affect the ease of handling of the item
booklets cannot be a book, handbook or manual as defined in this section
bound
pages that are sewn, stapled or glued together
Bundle of Unaddressed Copies
two or more copies of the same host publication (and any enclosure) wrapped or tied together in a bundle for delivery to a news dealer or other bulk receiver at a single address
two or more back issues of a host publication may be sent as a Bundle of Unaddressed Copies
buyer’s guide
(acceptable enclosure or host publication)
also referred to as source guide
by-law
(not an acceptable host publication or enclosure, but may be sent by co-packaging)
a law enacted by a legislature or made by a local authority to regulate its own affairs
catalogue
(not an acceptable host publication or enclosure, but may be sent by co-packaging)
bound printed matter containing a listing of items arranged in alphabetical or systematic order with details of products or services for sale and which may include prices and item numbers
catalogues typically contain an index or table of contents and/or the word “CATALOGUE” or “CATALOG”
clear-wrapped
completely enclosed in a secure plastic wrapper, which is transparent or has a transparent window clearly displaying the required addressing and identifying information
co-mailing
(not permitted)
co-packaging
the inclusion of an item of Addressed Admail™ or Lettermail™ within a Publications Mail item, or two or more different host publications, including any acceptable enclosure(s), being sent to the same recipient within a single Publications Mail item (see section 2.1.2.5 “Co-packaged Items (Addressed Admail, Lettermail and Publications Mail)”)
directory
(not an acceptable host publication or enclosure, but may be sent by co-packaging)
printed matter of bound or spiral-bound pages comprised of an alphabetical or classified listing of names, addresses and/or other data, usually with an index and often with page tabs
a source guide or buyer’s guide is a type of directory that may qualify as an acceptable enclosure under specific conditions (see source guide)
double issue
(acceptable enclosure or host publication)
two issues of a host publication bound together as one volume
enclosure
an insert or outsert that is included with the host publication
Customers often use an enclosure to increase their subscriber base and to generate new leads and advertising revenue (see section 2.1.2 “Enclosures”)
enclosures must not adversely affect the ease of handling of the mail item
extra edition/issue
(acceptable enclosure or host publication)
a separate issue of the host publication published outside the normal frequency of the host publication
handbook or manual
(not an acceptable host publication or enclosure, but may be sent by co-packaging)
a book of reference or a guidebook that provides specific detailed information or instructions on a particular subject for use by a practitioner or operator
host publication
a newspaper, magazine or newsletter that is mailed as the primary Publications Mail item under a valid Agreement number
identifying information
the descriptive basic or detailed information about the publication required for proof of payment and processing, including for the return of undeliverable Publications Mail items
insert
editorial and/or advertising printed matter or promotional material enclosed within, or attached to, the pages or covers of a host publication
item
see Publications Mail item in this section
manual
(not an acceptable host publication or enclosure, but may be sent by co-packaging)
see handbook or manual in this section
masthead
the part of the editorial space of a publication where staff members are identified as well as information, such as subscription rates, frequency and place of publication
(acceptable enclosure, priced and weighed separately from the host publication)
two or more Sample and/or Promotional/Novelty Items for the same product line or brand name, mounted on the same backing or packaged together as a chargeable enclosure, which may be separated from the host publication (see section 2.1.2.4 “Acceptable Enclosures – Priced Separately From the Host Publication”)
opaque-wrapped
completely enclosed in a secure non-transparent envelope or plastic wrapper
origin-destination table
the table within Letter Carrier Presort software which identifies distance-based pricing structure
it is based on the National Presortation Schematic
outsert
editorial and/or advertising printed matter or promotional material enclosed with, but not attached to, a host publication in a wrapper or envelope
page
one side of a printed sheet or leaf
personalized
containing the name of the addressee (person the item is being sent to) plus one other piece of information relating to that individual
types of personalization include: address, unique membership number, account balance, points record, financial information, purchase history
with the exception of a renewal notice, a personalized enclosure is not accepted in Publications Mail; it could be co-packaged as either Addressed Admail or Lettermail, if applicable
address carriers must not be personalized with more than the address block information of the addressee
phantom price
the base price for the service option that is applied to the difference between the actual volume and the minimum volume required in a mailing
Promotional/Novelty Item
(acceptable enclosure, priced and weighed separately from the host publication)
a non-personalized item used to promote a brand name, a product or a service
a Promotional/Novelty Item may be an actual product provided that it is intended as a trial to be used, displayed or worn by the reader of the publication
some examples of Promotional/Novelty Items include: small articles of clothing, pens, date booklets and souvenirs (see section 2.1.2.4 “Acceptable Enclosures – Priced Separately From the Host Publication”)
if more than one identical paper or paper-like promotional item (e.g., brochures, maps) is enclosed with one host publication, then the Sample and Promotional/Novelty price will be applied to the collection of those items
proxy
(not an acceptable host publication or enclosure, but may be sent by co-packaging)
an official document used to authorize one person to act for another
a document providing authority/power to act for another specifically for voting purposes
Publications Mail item
the individually addressed mail piece under a valid Publications Mail Agreement, whether it is an unwrapped single copy, a wrapped host publication with an enclosure or a Bundle of Unaddressed Copies
registration number
the number assigned by the Department of Canadian Heritage (DCH) to indicate eligibility for the Publications Assistance Program (PAP)
renewal notice
(acceptable enclosure)
printed notification, which may be personalized, to a subscriber about the status of the subscription and options for renewal of the host publication
renewal notices may also contain subscription offers for the host publication or other publications or may be for renewal of request subscriptions
report
(acceptable enclosure only if it relates to the content of the host publication, otherwise it may be sent by co-packaging)
a printed document that describes the findings of some individual or group on a single subject
ride-along publication
(acceptable enclosure)
a complimentary, promotional copy of another title or the same title (a separate newspaper, magazine or newsletter that has not been requested) per mailing up to six (6) times in a calendar year with the intention of building subscription levels of the ride-along title (see section 2.1.2.3 “Acceptable Enclosures – Priced With the Host Publication”)
Sample
(acceptable enclosure, priced and weighed separately from the host publication)
trial or trial-sized item or specimen intended to indicate the nature of the product
may be an actual product provided that it is intended as a trial to be used, displayed or worn by the reader of the publication
some examples of Samples include: food, personal care items and household products (see section 2.1.2.4 “Acceptable Enclosures – Priced Separately From the Host Publication”)
scent strips and beauty seals are not considered Samples and are priced and weighed with the host publication
scent strip
(acceptable enclosure priced with the host publication)
a portion of a page or of an acceptable enclosure that is impregnated with a fragrance (less than a single use) in such a way that the scent cannot be released during normal postal handling
source guide
(also referred to as a buyer’s guide – acceptable enclosure or host publication)
a special annual edition/issue of the host publication provided as an editorial service to the specific market served by the host publication and included in its annual editorial schedule
it is comprised of printed matter of bound pages whose format is similar to the host publication, including a cover that is prominently “branded” with the title logo of the host publication and the words “SOURCE GUIDE” or “BUYER’S GUIDE”
may contain an alphabetical or classified listing of names, addresses and/or other data, and must contain editorial and advertising relating to the host publication
a source guide or buyer’s guide may be enclosed with, or be a regular issue of, the host publication
magazine and tabloid formats may be combined as long as the host publication and enclosure(s) are of similar dimension to ensure ease of handling of the item
spiral binding may be accepted as long as it is wrapped or overcovered (to appear perfect bound) to ensure ease of handling
special edition/issue
(acceptable enclosure or host publication)
a separate issue of the host publication published outside the regular frequency of the host publication
supplemental (supplementary) mailing