If you think it's getting harder to find somewhere to mail a letter, you're not wrong.

Over the past two years Canada Post has removed more than 1,000 "Street Letter Boxes" across the country. And it is expected to junk even more of them as Canadians continue to abandon traditional "snailmail" for email and other forms of digital communication.

Over the past five years, Canada Post says household mail volume has plunged 17 per cent. It's gotten to the point that some of its remaining 30,000 red collection boxes get no mail at all.

According to a spokesperson for Canada Post, sending the red boxes to be crushed and recycled will not only help save money, it's necessary for the corporation's future survival.

"As the amount of lettermail in the system declines, we have to make changes in our business," Canada Post director of communications Jon Hamilton told CTV News.

But mail is fast becoming obsolete and the Crown corporation needs to do more than junk a few mailboxes to stay afloat, said Benjamin Dachis a policy analyst at the C.D. Howe Institute.

"Canada Post is in significant financial trouble if they don't consider serious changes such as outsourcing their operations," said Dachis.

But Hamilton said the company is changing with the times as its focus shifts from letters to the growing market for online shipments.

"We have a company built on delivering a lot of mail and a few parcels and the future for us, means a lot more parcels and fewer pieces of mail," said Hamilton.

Despite the challenge of competing with other companies that are already filling that niche, Canada Post remains optimistic.

"I think we are very well positioned," Canada Post spokesperson Anick Losier told CTVNews.ca, adding the company's strengths are its affordability and reach across the country.

With a report from CTV's Richard Madan