postal codes canada canadian postal code character string forms postal address canada like british dutch canada postal codes format letter digit space separating fourth characters september postal codes forward areas newfoundland provides free postal code look tool website mobile application sells hard copy vendors sell tools allow customers properly match addresses postal codes hard copy consulted post offices libraries writing postal address location canada postal code follows province territory history city postal zones numbered postal zones toronto mail toronto address zone addressed format street west toronto ontario toronto divided zones numbered unused zone early 1960s cities canada divided postal zones including quebec montreal ottawa vancouver toronto example address vancouver addressed street vancouver late 1960s began implementing digit zone number scheme major cities replace existing digit zone numbers starting montreal toronto vancouver example address metropolitan toronto addressed bay street toronto ontario toronto renumbering took effect accompanied advertising campaign slogan number impending plans national postal code system announced begin new digit city zone system companies changed mail addressing expense find new prove short lived planning largest canadian cities growing 1950s 1960s volumes mail passing country postal system grew reaching 1950s tens mid-1960s consequently progressively difficult employees mail track individual letter carrier routes city new technology allowed mail delivered faster contributed pressure employees properly sort mail canada western countries nationwide postal code system report house_of_commons dealt expected impact environmental change operations following years key recommendation establishment task force determine nature adopt include design postal code implementation december communications minister announced character postal code introduced digit zone system later report february entitled canadian public address postal system submitted firm simpson introduction postal code test ottawa april ottawa followed provincial level system system gradually implemented rest country nationwide use code end cent introduction code system allowed speed easily flow mail country machines able handle objects hour automated system initially conceived relevant unions objected mainly wages ran new automated machines lower hand mail unions ended staging job action public information campaigns message want people business use postal codes mail union declared march national boycott postal code day demanding reduction work week hours boycott called february advertisement toronto magazine generated controversy showing man writing postal code woman following use postal codes thing don got include advertisement denounced garbage house_of_commons prompting apology components postal code forward areas forward area geographical region postal codes start characters letter code denotes particular postal district outside quebec ontario corresponds entire province territory owing quebec ontario large populations provinces sub divided postal districts respectively urban area populous dedicated postal district region toronto hand low populations mean separated territory continue share postal district digit urban rural zero indicates wide area rural region indicate urban areas second letter represents specific rural region entire medium sized city section major metropolitan area provided divided separate articles postal district individual lists format numbers known zones going table second letter going table lists specify communities covered rural medium sized cities dedicated larger cities limits spanning city city allocated codes listed cities small number lists specify relative location cities cities large number applicable specified local delivery units characters denote local delivery unit denotes specific single address range addresses correspond entire small town significant medium sized town single city block larger cities single large building portion large single large institution university hospital business receives large volumes mail regular basis ending zero correspond postal facilities post offices small retail postal outlets way plants urban areas specific postal carriers routes rural areas direct door door delivery available describe set post office boxes rural route exclusively rural characters usually assigned order community refers large regional distribution centre facilities appearing regional appeared purely local mail kingston ontario area number possible postal codes postal codes include letters position use letters means maximum number available possible theoretical limit million postal codes practical limit bit lower reserves special functions test promotional purposes mail bound destinations outside canada current estimate active postal codes represents entire postal code space leaving ample room expansion uses refer process replaces rural postal code code zero second character urban postal codes vacated rural postal code assigned community retired decides certain community population reaches certain level different factors involved example early postal code covering catherine sur postal codes beginning remove caused similar street names unique province wide districts new_brunswick postal district completely rural codes having phased staff montreal office noticing considerable number letters addressed entering postal system letters treated employees handling letters want writers young children disappointed lack response started answering letters mail sent increased christmas point established official letter response program santa mail handled assistance thousand volunteers current postal workers multiple locations canada average hours seasonal task approximately million letters addressed christmas including originating outside canada answered language written introduced special address mail complete postal code canada french santa translates father christmas addressed canada postal code chosen special seasonal use reads prefix indicates small rural village designate montreal second largest city canada prefix completely assigned international tribal reserve canada border postal code active use dragged ongoing arctic sovereignty debate support canadian territorial claims extending response attacks conservative parliamentary secretary prime minister time leader party liberals stated knows canadian postal code transition points transition mail civilian postal codes corresponding military post offices canadian soil depending final destination victoria halifax belleville postal codes represent number military post offices abroad specified postal code number case corresponding physical virtual delivery unit mail delivered locally actual delivery units canadian military bases ships abroad slot box forces belleville canada example deliver belleville continue transport germany means timing military appropriate alternate uses postal codes information health create geographic profile area population instance postal codes compare children risk developing cancer describe neighbourhood entrenched poverty vancouver downtown canada postal code canadian electoral districts frequently follow postal code areas citizens identify local elected representative postal code provincial federal government websites offer online look feature based postal codes displayed generic code purpose actually genuine postal code use newfoundland common example code materials valid code office building ottawa
Postal codes in Canada