# Provenance stamped 2026-10-07 (roadmap#943): written by an API Evangelist sweep (dated 2026-06-13 by the file itself), not # harvested from the provider. `method: generated` so the economics campaign may replace it with a # dated, verbatim transcription; every figure below is unverified until it does. method: generated generated: '2026-06-13' specification: FinOps Framework specificationVersion: '1.0' schema: https://www.finops.org/framework/ provider: Canada Post providerId: canada-post created: '2026-06-13' modified: '2026-06-13' reconciled: true tags: - FinOps - FOCUS - Logistics / Shipping - Postal - E-Commerce description: FOCUS-aligned FinOps guidance for Canada Post API consumption. The primary cost driver is postage — each transmitted shipment (contract or non-contract) is billed at standard Canada Post rates based on service, weight, dimensions, and destination. AddressComplete lookups are billed as prepaid credits with volume-tiered pricing. API access itself (rating, tracking, pickup, post office lookup) carries no per-call fee beyond postage for label creation. Engineering teams should tag usage by business unit, e-commerce platform, or fulfilment centre to enable chargeback and optimization. sources: - https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/info/mc/business/productsservices/developers/services/fundamentals.jsf - https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/ac/pricing/ alignedWith: framework: FinOps Foundation Framework frameworkUrl: https://www.finops.org/framework/ dataSpec: FOCUS dataSpecVersion: '1.3' dataSpecUrl: https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/ publisherName: Canada Post serviceCategory: Logistics / Shipping billingModel: pricingCategory: Usage-Based + Prepaid Credits billingFrequency: Per-shipment (postage) / Prepaid bundle (AddressComplete) billingCurrency: CAD focusColumns: ServiceName: Canada Post ServiceCategory: Logistics / Shipping ProviderName: Canada Post PublisherName: Canada Post BillingCurrency: CAD meters: - name: shipments_transmitted unit: shipment aggregation: sum dimensions: - service_code - destination_type - contract_type notes: >- Each transmitted shipment (via Transmit Shipments/manifest call) incurs standard Canada Post postage. Rate varies by service code (e.g., DOM.RP, DOM.EP, DOM.XP, USA.EP, INT.XP), parcel weight, dimensions, and origin/ destination postal code pair. - name: address_lookups unit: lookup aggregation: sum dimensions: - address_type notes: >- Each successful AddressComplete Retrieve call consumes one credit. Canadian address lookups are billed at the plan rate (4¢–11.6¢ per lookup). International address lookups incur an additional 1¢ per call on top of the base rate. - name: rating_calls unit: call aggregation: sum notes: >- Rating calls (POST /rs/ship/price) are free and do not incur charges. Track for capacity planning and to ensure calls are not inflating costs elsewhere in the stack. - name: api_calls_free unit: call aggregation: sum dimensions: - service notes: >- Tracking, pickup availability, post office lookup, returns, and service information API calls are free. Track volume to manage throttle limits and identify unexpected call spikes. principles: - name: Visibility description: >- Enable cost visibility by tagging every shipment creation call with metadata — merchant ID, fulfilment centre, carrier service, and business unit. Use Get Manifest Details responses to reconcile billed amounts against expected postage. Monitor AddressComplete credit consumption daily via balance alerts configured at 20%, 10%, and 5% thresholds. - name: Allocation description: >- Allocate postage costs to the originating business unit or e-commerce platform using customer-number and group-id fields in the Contract Shipping API. For multi-merchant platforms, use the mailed-on-behalf-of (MOBO) customer pattern to separate billing per client account. - name: Optimization description: >- Optimize costs by comparing rates across all service codes using the Rating API before selecting a service at checkout. Void unused labels promptly (within the valid window) using the Void Shipment endpoint to avoid unnecessary postage charges. Right-size AddressComplete credit bundles by projecting annual lookup volume — larger bundles reduce per-lookup cost from 11.6¢ (Entry) to 4¢ (Premium) or lower (Enterprise). - name: Accountability description: >- Set monthly postage spend budgets per merchant and configure alerts when thresholds are reached. Review manifest settlement data (Get Manifest Details) after each transmission cycle. Conduct quarterly reviews of AddressComplete consumption versus purchased credits to right-size bundles and avoid credit expiry waste (credits expire after 12 months). - name: Benchmarking description: >- Track average postage cost per shipment by service code month-over-month. Monitor the ratio of rating calls to actual shipments created — a high ratio may indicate abandoned carts or failed checkout flows. Benchmark AddressComplete lookup-to-conversion rates to validate ROI of address validation investment. costDrivers: - driver: postage_per_shipment description: Standard Canada Post postage billed per transmitted shipment. Rates vary by service (domestic, USA, international), weight, dimensions, and postal code pair. The dominant cost driver for e-commerce integrations. billedBy: transmission (manifest) - driver: addresscomplete_credits description: Prepaid credit consumption per address Retrieve call. Tiered from 11.6¢ (Entry/300 lookups) down to 4¢ (Premium/500,000 lookups) with custom Enterprise rates above 500,000 lookups. billedBy: prepaid bundle - driver: pickup_charges description: Parcel pickup fees for on-demand pickup requests. Commercial customers with parcel agreements are billed to their account; non-contract customers are charged to the default credit card on file. billedBy: per pickup freeCalls: - Rating Web Service (all rate calculation calls) - Tracking Web Service (summary and detail queries) - Find a Post Office API - Deliver to Post Office API - Pickup Availability checks - Service Information API - Sandbox environment (all calls)