Even though the City also charges fees to developers creating new subdivisions, council felt it should back builders in their protest of Canada Post's charge for installing group post boxes.

Coun. Nancy Bepple led the charge Tuesday, moving that a letter be sent to Canada Post and MP Cathy McLeod about the offloading of the cost of installation onto contractors and homeowners.

Canada Post sent letters to builders and developers across the country last month, notifying them they would have to start paying $200 per household/unit in new subdivisions for community mail boxes.

Council received the same letter in its Tuesday package, as well as a copy of a letter being sent to Canada Post from A and T Project Developments in Kamloops objecting to the change.

Coun. Pat Wallace said the postal service seems to be disintegrating.

"If it isn't paying for itself, they should increase the cost of stamps. We've lost the little post offices and there seems to be a suggestion it's getting torpedoed," she said.

Some people can't afford computers or to make a lot of phone calls, she added.

"The Canadian way is to have a good postal service."

Mayor Peter Milobar spoke against the motion, saying it's the builders' fight and pointing out that the City charges development cost charges (DCCs) on new subdivisions.

That means the City isn't that much different than Canada Post, he said.

The difference, said Coun. Arjun Singh, is the City talks with the construction industry before changing DCCs while Canada Post did not consult builders.

The motion for the letter carried, with Bepple, Singh, Wallace, Marg Spina and Donovan Cavers in favour. Opposed were MIlobar, Tina Lange, Nelly Dever and Ken Christian.