Some locals are wondering if Canada Post's new operating hours at its location at 4-1900 Garibaldi Way are counterproductive to social distancing measures in place to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has said that people must stay two metres apart and not gather in groups of 50 or more.
However, the Garibaldi Way office has shortened its hours to 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday to Friday.
As a result, a day's worth of walk-in traffic is now being fit into the space of a little over two hours.
Martine Dubuc was one of the people who was hoping to use the post office on March 31. She had to get packages, including medication for her dog.
However, when she saw the line, she knew there was no way she'd be able to get what she needed.
"I saw easily 40 to 50 people outside waiting," said Dubuc, describing the line shortly after the office opened. "I thought, 'There's no way I can wait for that.'"
She revisited the line shortly before it closed to see if things were any better. Apparently, that was not the case, as there were about 30 to 40 people in line, Dubuc said.
"I was like, 'Nope, can't do it,'" she said.
In addition to the prohibitive wait time, another issue for Dubuc is that it seems to be against the idea of social distancing.
"I think people are fine if it's like 10 people because they can branch out enough," said Dubuc.
"But outside of the outlet...it's a serpentine [line] on the sidewalks, so a ton of zig zags. So, that is a lot of people, and it seems to sort of be going against what they're trying to achieve, unless it's just more concern for the staff versus the people needing to get the mail."
Dubuc is not alone in her concerns. On various Squamish social media forums, discussion about the issue has been persistent, and The Chief has received a number of complaints about the matter.
The Chief asked Canada Post about whether the reduced operating hours were a barrier to social distancing.
In response, the organization issued a written statement that noted the company is operating in an "unprecedented time."
"We are continuously adapting our operations so that we can help slow the spread of this virus in our communities, while continuing to serve Canadians and protecting the health and safety of our employees and customers," reads the statement. "We know Canadians are counting on us and we will do everything we can to keep this country's postal service operational, while ensuring we make the safety of our employees and our customers our first priority."
The statement also pointed to a statement that it previously issued on March 30, which said that Canadians should stay two metres apart to ensure safety.
"As we continue to serve Canadians across the country during this challenging time, we are also seeking your assistance to help keep our employees safe," reads that statement.
"We are asking Canadians to please respect physical (social) distancing with our employees who are delivering mail and serving them in post offices. This means keeping a distance of two metres (six feet), as recommended by public health authorities."
