Frequently Asked Questions

Topic

What is the physical address and mailing address for BC Mail Plus in Victoria?

What are the fax numbers for BC Mail Plus?

Delivery Services,	(250) 952-5117
Employee Household Relocation Services,
Incoming House Mail,
Letter Mail and Special Mail Service,
Outgoing Regional and Parcel Service, or
Program Support

Data Manipulation Services	(250) 727-7325
Mail Preparation and Production Planners or
Variable Data Digital and Impact Printing Services

What are the hours of operation for BC Mail Plus?

Who is responsible for accounts payable and accounts receivable?

Who do I contact to set up a new mail account or make changes to an existing account?

Mail Preparation

Can you provide estimates for mail preparation jobs?

Yes, our Production Planners can assist customers with the preparation, processing and distribution of any size mailing. Their role is to provide information on the various products and services available, and to assist customers in making wise decisions for their mailing requirements and saving money.

Why does the price change so much if we add one insert?

The majority of the cost for a mail preparation job is the postage. Changes to a job, such as the addition of an insert, can greatly affect the overall weight of the item. The additional insert may increase the total weight of the LETTER mail item over 30 grams resulting in increase of postage for FLAT mail items. Generally, a #10 envelope can accommodate up to 5 inserts of regular (20 lb. bond) paper.

Do you have space to store our mailing material until our job is ready to be processed?

BC Mail Plus has limited floor space. Material for current jobs is on site while the job is being processed. If only part of the material is ready, contact your Mail Preparation Production Planner for assistance. If extended storage for material exceeds two weeks, storage costs will be charged back to the customer.

How fast can I expect my mail preparation job to be done?

Normally, mail preparation jobs requiring mechanical processing can be completed within 3 working days. If the work requires manual preparation or the handling of bulk materials, 6 working days should be allowed. These time frames are contingent upon having an approved Service Request Form and the complete inventory of job materials on site prior to initiating the work. Additional time may be required if other service components, such as address manipulation, postal code verification and/or correction are required. Our Mail Preparation Production Planners can provide estimates on total preparation and processing time that may be required.

How can a Mail Preparation Production Planner help me?

Mail Preparation Production Planners are responsible for the planning and coordination of customer mail preparation jobs. Each coordinator is assigned a number of ministries within customer portfolios. These planners work in close cooperation with customers, Queen’s Printer staff and private sector printers, where printing jobs are produced.

Mail Preparation Production Planners coordinate all activities surrounding a mail preparation job, which may also include the use of address data manupilation services, preparation of merge documents, address verification and correction, incentive rate preparation, scanning, print stream manipulation, job costing, and customer billing.

Does my Ministry have an assigned Mail Preparation Production Planner?

Over the past several years, customers using the Mail Preparation Services have become familiar with various members of our Production Planning staff. They assist customers by co-ordinating the preparation, processing, and distribution of any size mailing. Their role is to provide information on the various products and services available and to assist customers in making wise decisions for their mailing requirements.

Feedback from our customer survey has indicated that BC Mail Plus customers prefer continuity in communicating their requirements and expectations for mail print jobs. We've listened. We are pleased to announce a list of customer portfolios assigned to the following Customer Support Staff:

Tracy Michell

• Aboriginal Relations
• Advanced Education
• Agriculture and Lands
• Attorney General & Minister Responsible for
  Multiculturalism
• Community Services
• Labour and Citizens' Service
• Education - School Districts
• Employment and Income Assistance
• Forests and Range
• Transportation
• Environment

Brenda Thomson

• Children and Family Development
• Economic Development
• Energy and Mines and Petroleum Resources
• Pension Corporation
• Public Safety and Solicitor General
• Small Business and Revenue
• Tourism, Sports and the Arts

Betty Galvin

• Boards
• Commissions
• Crown Corporations
• Crown Publications
• Finance
• Government Funded Agencies
• Health
• Health Insurance BC
• Hospitals
• Industry Training Authority
• Legislative Assembly
• Municipalities
• Premiers' Office
• Revenue Services BC
• Societies
  

Public Affairs Offices - Please contact the Production Planner associated with that particular ministry.

For jobs requiring data manipulation or address accuracy, how should the data be formatted? What is LAPP?

There are several formats acceptable. Data formatted in Excel (CSV) and Delimited (DEL) are usually the best. A Label Printing Package (LAPP) providing detailed information about data formats and address standards was designed to be a flexible method for producing address labels from a variety of database systems. To receive your copy of the LAPP guide, please contact Robin Gray.

Mail Distribution

What are the benefits and savings available when using BC Mail Plus' Mail Distribution?

• Eliminates the need for costly leasing or purchasing of mailing equipment, rental of postage meters, consumables, and the additional expense of maintenance.
• Valuable staff resources can be directed to other core business activities. Costly office space for mail rooms and/or production areas may no longer be necessary.
• Customers have access to various volume-discounted rates already negotiated by the province. BC Mail Plus has one of the lowest "time sensitive" courier rates available in the province.
• Through a negotiated annual rate increase on basic Canada Post products and services, changes in our pricing structures are kept to a minimum. As a result, more reliable budgeting for mailing costs can be forecasted.
• Summary billings are provided on a monthly basis with itemized charges by product and service use. Your funds are not tied up in a postage meter.
• A province wide internal House Mail Distribution System covers every major community in British Columbia. Over 115 communities are serviced and more than 2,700 customers use our service daily.
• BC Mail Plus staff have years of knowledge and experience in the industry and will assist you with any mailing or distribution requirement.

What are the Canada Customs Declaration requirements?

1. For USA items weighing up to 1kg and foreign items up to 2 kg:
   
   A business type letter or flat size envelope containing only correspondence does not require a declaration.
   
   A business-type letter for a flat size envelope containing only printed matter does not require a declaration if stamped "printed matter".
   
   If the thickness or shape of your item could create confusion about whether the contents might be subject to duty, attach a completed CN22 (43-074-076) customs label.
   
   If your item exceeds $500 in value, attach a CN22 (43-074-076) customs label plus a CP72 (43-074-172) for international or a CN23 (043-074-013) for USA.
2. For USA Expedited items exceeding 1kg a USA Customs Declaration bar-coded label CN23 (43-074-234) is required.
3. For USA Surface items exceeding 1kg a CN23 (43-074-234) is required.
4. For Foreign items exceeding 2kg and the articles are not insured a CP72 (43-074-172) is required.
5. For Foreign items exceeding 2kg and the articles are insured up to $1000 a CP72 insured (43-074-173) is required.

Click here to view a CN22 Customs Label
Click here to view a CP72 Declaration (uninsured)
Click here to view a CP72 Declaration (insured)
Click here to view a CN23 USA Customs Label
Click here to view a CN23 USA Declaration

What is Business Reply Mail?

Business Reply Mail is a method for customers to provide postage for return items from their correspondence. It also is a cost effective means of gathering survey information, as only the cost of returned items are billed. The customers are only billed for the responses received. Various formats are available including envelopes, cards and labels.

Business Reply Mail is a contract service which must be prearranged through BC Mail Plus. We will help you design your item and ensure all specifications are met prior to printing. Be sure to call to avoid costly design and printing mistakes.

What Special Services does BC Mail Plus provide?

To better meet our customer needs, three new services, Rush Only, Rush and Trace, and Trace Only have replaced Signature Services, Special Delivery and Urgent Courier. When you choose one of the three options listed below, BC Mail Plus will use the most cost-effective method to ship your special service item(s).

RUSH ONLY - a service that ships your items the fastest way possible. Mark the number of items beside RUSH ONLY in the Special Services area of your mail ticket.

Delivery Standard for Rush Only:

• Delivery to major centres in BC and Canada: Overnight
• Delivery to most other locations in Canada: 2 Days
• Delivery to remote BC areas: 3 Days
• Delivery to USA and foreign destiantions: varies

RUSH AND TRACE - a service that ships your item the fastest way possible and provides trace capabilities. A record of delivery is maintained. Mark the number of items beside RUSH AND TRACE in the Special Services area of your mail ticket.

Delivery Standard for Rush and Trace:

• Delivery to major centre, in BC and Canada: Overnight
• Delivery to most other location in Canada: 2 Days
• Delivery to remote BC areas: 3 Days
• Delivery to USA and foreign destinations: varies

TRACE ONLY  - a service that provides trace capabilities. A record of delivery is maintained. Mark the number of items beside TRACE ONLY in the Special Services area of your mail ticket. Delivery times for Trace Only services vary depending on size, weight and destination of the product.

Are there any hints you can provide in preparing mail?

• Always use a standard #9 or #10 envelope (#10 envelope is preferred).
• Incorrect and non-coded letters result in increased postage charges and delivery delays.
• Type the mailing address and postal code according to Canadian Addressing Standards.
• If you staple your inserts, fold them so the staples are enclosed by the fold.
• Ensure the staple is located in the bottom left corner of the envelope after inserting, not where the postage meter impression goes. This will help prevent damage to mail processing equipment.
• Do not use staples to seal envelopes.
• Bundle letters and flats with the addresses facing the same direction.
• Items destined for USA or international addresses may require a Customs Declaration.
• Reinforce all heavy items with packing fibre tape.
• Do not use large clips to hold documents together inside an envelope. The additional weight may cause your mail item to be classified at a heavier weight and may cause unnecessary delivery delays.
• Multiple parcel shipments must be numbered.
  (ie: 1 of 20, 2 of 20, etc).

What is the difference between various mail categories?

 

LETTERS

Lettersize envelopes to a maximum of 240 mm long x 105 mm wide and 5 mm thick that weigh up to 30 grams.

e.g. - Standard #10 envelope + 5 sheets of paper (letterhead or memorandum) = 30 grams.

ENVELOPES (Flats)

Various size envelopes to a maximum of 380 mm long x 270 mm wide and 20 mm thick that weigh between 31 - 200 grams.

e.g. - Envelope + 40 sheets of paper
(letterhead or memorandum) = 200 grams.

PACKAGES

Any envelope, package or item that is greater in size than 380 mm long x 270 mm wide and 20 mm thick or weighs between 201 - 500 grams.

e.g. - Envelope + up to 100 sheets of paper
(letterhead or memorandum) = 500 grams; jiffy paks, reinforced envelopes, padded envelopes, small books, video cassettes.

PARCELS

Any item that weighs over 500 grams.

e.g. - Various sizes of cartons, boxes, packages, padded
envelopes, tubes.

Employee Household Relocation

What services does Employee Household Relocation Services provide?

Employee Household Relocation Services will:

• Contact the employee to provide information about the relocation process and what to expect.
• Contact a moving firm that will visit the employee’s residence and prepare an estimate for the relocation of the household goods.
• Manage the move process from reviewing the estimate, to issuing the contract to paying the invoice.
• Intercede with the moving firm on your behalf should difficulties arise during and after the move.
• Perform a quality of service follow-up when the move is complete.

How can I start a move for an employee(s)?

Complete an Employee Move Authorization FIN 191 form and send it to:

Employee Relocation Services
PO Box 9453 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria BC V8W 9V7

Please ensure your ministry's expense authority has signed the form before sending.

Where can I find the Employee Move Authorization form?

Click here to download a copy of form FIN 191 in Adobe PDF format

Which firms are used to arrange moves and who chooses them?

Employee Household Relocation Services has pre-qualified over 65 moving firms throughout the province. Moves are assigned on a rotational basis within a geographic region. The move assignment may be changed only if you have experienced specific difficulty with the assigned moving firm during a previous move.

Are there different move benefits for different people?

Yes, benefits differ depending on factors such as the reason for the move, the status of the new position, and the client ministry or government funded agency that pays for the move.

Do you take care of our travel and real estate fees?

No, arrangements for reimbursement of travel, real estate fees and incidental expenses are made directly through the client's ministry or government funded agency initiating the move.

What kinds of items cannot be moved at government expense?

The non-admissible items and services listed below are not permitted to be carried by the moving firm at government expense. If you have non-admissible items, please make alternate arrangements, or contact Bill Cameron.

Non-admissible Items:

Goods that are a hazard to other items in the shipment such as but not limited to:

• Household cleansers, bleach, paint, aerosol containers;
• Alcohol beverages;
• Propane tanks (empty or full), explosives, ammunition;
• Any items that may be flammable or liable to contaminate, stain or damage other goods.

Goods that require a higher level of security:

• Jewellery, precious stones, stamp collections, coins or currency, bank bills, notes, drafts, deeds, valuable papers of any kind, letters or packets of letters, or household goods of peculiarly inherent or extraordinary value;
• Precious metals or items manufactured from precious metals.

Goods that cannot be appropriately cared for in a moving van:

• Live plants and perishables including frozen foods and wine;
• Household pets and livestock.

Items other than household goods:

• Building materials such as cement blocks and lumber, patio stones, outdoor barbecues made of brick, cement or stone, portable buildings;
• Goods or equipment related to a home-based business, farm or construction equipment;
• Empty bottles (exclusive of preserving jars);
• Hobby items where the volume exceeds 70 cubic feet (2 cubic meters) or 496 lbs (225 kilograms);
• Boats that require trailers, utility trailers, travel trailers, campers or aircraft.

Non-admissible Services:

• Connecting/disconnecting appliances or plumbing and electrical hook-ups;
• Dismantling and installation of water beds;
• Dismantling and reassembling swing sets, garden and other outdoor household goods;
• Removing or installing valance boxes, curtain rods, picture wall hooks and clocks.
• Installing, removing or cleaning of wall-to-wall carpets;
• Split pick-up or delivery of household goods;
• Fumigation, moth proofing;
• Third party servicing of appliances and electronic equipment.

What pre-move preparation is required for appliances and electronic equipment?

All appliances and electronic goods must be disconnected and serviced by a third party. Third party servicing includes clarification/verification of working condition, preparation of goods for shipment, including blocking the drum of a clothes washer or parking the hard drive of a computer. Liability will not be assumed for any damage to the mechanical, electronic, or other operations of appliances or electronic equipment that have not been properly serviced and verified as to working condition by a third party company or technician.

Can you have a piano (or something else) picked up at another address?

Yes, if it is in a community on the route. However, you will have to cover the extra pickup charge.