Help Protect the Interlibrary Loan Service

You may have seen this in the media or online. As part of the new federal budget (Bill C-15), libraries are at risk of losing the reduced postage rate for shipping library materials. This will directly impact the interlibrary loan service in Canada as many libraries use Canada Post to ship books between library systems. Currently it cost about $2-3 per book to be shipped between library systems. Kawartha Lakes Public Library currently supplies about 1,800 interlibrary loan requests for our patrons, as well as fulfilling another 1,800 requests from other library systems for materials from our collection. Without the 'book-rate' reduced postage we would see our postage costs would increase 3 to 4 times and effectively killing the service in Ontario and Canada.

CBC News article - Libraries say budget proposal to end shipping program would be 'catastrophic'

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/canada-post-libraries

What’s Happening

Bill C-15 (the federal Budget Implementation Act) includes amendments to the Canada Post Corporation Act that would eliminate the reduced postage rate for library materials, directly impacting interlibrary loan services.

Every month, over 30,000 items are mailed between libraries across Canada, and more than 150,000 items are shipped annually within Ontario alone all of which depend on this affordable mailing rate.

Canada Post has made remarks indicating ongoing support for the reduced postage rate, but the fact remains that this protected rate is still at risk and will remain at risk until protected by legislation. Without this protection, interlibrary loan services in Canada will be diminished or disappear entirely.

Why This Matters

• Interlibrary loan is a lifeline for equitable access. It ensures every person in Canada, regardless of income or location, can borrow books, research materials, and educational resources from any library in the country.
• It supports accessibility. Public, academic, and special libraries depend on this service to deliver accessible formats to patrons who are blind or print-disabled.
• It serves isolated and vulnerable communities. People in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities rely on mailed library materials as their primary way to access resources.
• It fuels education and innovation. Students, researchers, and academics depend on interlibrary loans to access specialized materials not available locally.

What’s at Risk

• Bill C-15 removes parliamentary oversight on postal rates for library materials. Without this safeguard, Canada Post could raise rates sharply, or eliminate them entirely, making interlibrary loans unaffordable for most library systems.
• Eliminating these protections would create immediate cost and access barriers for people already experiencing the greatest challenges.
• It contradicts Canada’s commitments to accessibility and inclusion, forcing libraries to absorb new costs or reduce service levels.

Why Action is Urgent

There has been no public consultation or notice about this change, nor has there been any visible opposition to date, making coordinated advocacy essential and time-sensitive.

What You Can Do

Please visit - https://save-interlibrary-loans.lovable.app Here you will find more information on the effects of Bill C-15 and a template that you can use to write or call your local MP