Canada Post continues semipostal series

By David Hartwig

Canada Post issued a semipostal stamp April 29 to raise funds for children through the Canada Post Community Foundation.

The stamp design shows multiple species of animals, many of whom are flying in a hot air balloon. Canada Post said this “is a nod to the Foundation’s mission to support young Canadians to reach for their dreams and soar as high as they can imagine.”

Canada Post retail employees chose the design of the stamp, which features artwork by Seung Jai Paek.

The nondenominated stamp pays the permanent rate for domestic letters weighing up to 30 grams (currently 92¢). This is represented by the letter P inside a maple leaf in the lower left corner of the design. The “+10” beside the P symbol indicates the 10¢ surtax above the face value that goes to the foundation.

Canada Post is selling the self-adhesive stamp in booklets of 10 with $1 from the sale of each booklet going to the Canada Post Community Foundation.

Canada Post also issued a postal card with artwork from the stamp design in a quantity of 7,500. Each card sells for $2.80 of which $2.70 pays the current international postage rate, and the other 10¢ is donated to the Canada Post Community Foundation.

According to Canada Post, this foundation has provided $13.5 million to more than 1,100 initiatives in Canada since 2012. The initiatives include literacy and language programs, youth outreach services, projects supporting indigenous youth, gender and sexual diversity programs and more.

Canada Post said the foundation is one of the best examples of its commitment to building a stronger Canada.

“Supporting initiatives that benefit children and youth helps strengthen communities for all Canadians,” Canada Post said.

The recipients of this year’s grant will be announced in August.

Canada Post serviced 6,000 first-day covers for this semipostal stamp with an Ottawa, Ontario, cancellation. The purchase price of the FDC includes a 10¢ donation to the Canada Post Community Foundation.

Colour Innovations printed the stamp, postal card and FDC.

The Canada Post ordering numbers are 414257111 for the booklet pane of 10, 414257131 for the FDC and 262539 for the postal card.

This semipostal is the 13th issue in an annual series that began in 2012 (Scott B19) with the establishment of the Canada Post Community Foundation.

Similar to 2023, the 2024 Community Foundation stamp is being released in the spring to accommodate the addition of the Truth and Reconciliation series, now issued annually in connection with the Sept. 30 National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, which recognizes those who never returned from Indian residential schools, those who survived, and the families and communities involved.

The new semipostal stamp booklet, postal card and FDC are available online from Canada Post, and by mail order from Canada Post Customer Service, Box 90022, 2701 Riverside Drive, Ottawa, ON K1V 1J8 Canada; or by telephone from the United States or Canada at 800-565-4362, and from other countries at 902-863-6550.

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