Private delivery service beta testing on-demand mail and package delivery in Vancouver

A fledgling Uber-style company in Vancouver called ParcelPal Technology, is offering on-demand mail and package delivery on the lower mainland that would bypass Canada Post, particularly during what could be a strike or lockout starting as early as July 2. 

"The UBER style Android, iPhone and Web App enables everyday people to become couriers and earn extra cash by making a quick detour to pick up a package and drop it off near where they’re going anyway."

According to a story from CanadianInvestor, ParcelPal, a public company, is undergoing a beta trial to test whether there is an appetite for such a rapid delivery service and whether it might be rolled out nationally. A test, involving 20 letters, showed that virtually all of them were delivered under an hour for $4 each.  The system offers real-time tracking and no minimum order size. At the time of writing, the company's website says that 1,483 couriers had signed up and 596 packages had been delivered. 

(There was no specific indication about subscriber copy delivery for magazines. In 2006 a pilot project, supported in part by Canadian Heritage, was run by a consortium of major Canadian magazine publishers to test the possibility of having their magazines delivered to subscribers in major urban areas (such as the Greater Toronto area (GTA)) via independent newspaper contractors. At the time, it was found to be too expensive. In 2007, Rogers Media tried a similar pilot project of its own which ultimately was discontinued.)