And it would cost $28.50 to send a one-kilogram package from Canada to China, depending on its size. The reason for that dates all the way back to 1874 and an international agency called the Universal Postal Union. If a country was receiving more international mail than it was sending, it would be paid for the difference. At the time, that was one half of a gold franc, a currency formerly used by international organizations, per kilogram of international mail. The United States and other countries, including Canada, were able to negotiate a new deal withing the Universal Postal Union.

Source: CBC News September 04, 2023 06:21 UTC