Chris Ellis is waiting for his very important cheque in the mail.
Ellis is the owner of the Merville General Store on Vancouver Island, and says Canada Post owes him nearly $30,000 in unpaid rent.
91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵœWhen you91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™ve got a contract and someone doesn91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t oblige, that91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s not right.91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ
The Canada Post operation has been within the store north of the Comox Valley for years - prior to Ellis purchasing the store - and has one unionized staff member employed by the Crown corporation.
He says the grandfathered lease expired in 2013, and he has been asking the corporation to sign a new lease since before the expiration date.
91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵœThey claimed they had a copy of the lease valid until 2021, but they91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™ve never been able to provide it. They finally confirmed to me it was just an internal email. I was bugging them for a long time to get things down on paper.91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ
Ellis wanted to keep the rent at $210/month, but in Aug. 2017, he sent Canada Post a letter asking for $9,000 he was owed and served them 30 days with a rent increase to $1,500.
He admits it was a huge jump but he was hoping the corporation would pay the funds owed. The notice stipulated Canada Post had to pay the rent increase, or if they chose not to, could no longer occupy the property.
Initially, neither option came to fruition, but a few months later, Ellis received a cheque for just under $7,000. By that time, he was charging the new rent increase, interest and a penalty. He adds there was no paperwork in place outside of the notice of rent increase.
A few days ago, Ellis received a call from Canada Post to alert him a new cheque was in the mail. He is uncertain of the amount.
He has since met with his lawyers to see what his options are to proceed with legal action.
91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵœI91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™m not being greedy, I just want what91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s owed to me. I91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™ve got a family to feed, I91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™ve got staff. It has dramatically affected my business. Financial institutions aren91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t as friendly with credit; it91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s cost my business several hundred thousand dollars in sales because my finances are tied up - I don91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t have the inventory I normally would.91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ
While he wants the funds, Ellis says he does not want to see the post office leave. For residents in the Merville area, the closest parcel pickup without the location would be either Courtenay or Black Creek.
91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵœI don91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t think it is in Canada Post91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s best interest to vacate the property - it would be more bad publicity than not paying rent.91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ
When contacted by Black Press for an interview, Canada Post offered the following emailed statement: 91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵœWe are working to resolve the situation. We have no other comment at this time.91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ