[press release]
Canada Post unveils the Year of the Pig stamps
Canada Post invites you to greet the Year of the Pig a little early with the unveiling of this year’s two-stamp issue, the 11th in its most recent series honouring the Lunar New Year, on Thursday, January 17, 5:30 pm, at the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto.
WHAT: Unveiling the Year of the Pig stamps
WHERE: Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto
Johnny K. H. Fong Multi-purpose Hall
5183 Sheppard Avenue East, Scarborough
WHEN: Thursday, January 17, 5:30 pm
Updated January 22nd:
[press release]
Canada Post celebrates the Year of the Pig
Lunar New Year stamps feature character from famous Chinese novel
MARKHAM, ON – Canada Post rings in the Lunar New Year with a two-stamp issue on January 18, the 11th in its current 12-year series. In honour of the Year of the Pig, the stamps feature Zhu Bajie, or Pigsy, a character from the celebrated 16th century Chinese novel Journey to the West.
“Canada Post is proud to join Canadians of Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and other East Asian heritage celebrating the Lunar New Year,” says Jo-Anne Polak, Vice-President, Communications and Public Affairs at Canada Post. “Since this annual issue kicked off with the Year of the Ox stamp in 1997, it has only grown in popularity.”
Designed by Albert Ng and Seung Jai Paek of Albert Ng and Associates, the Year of the Pig issue offers Permanent™ domestic- and international-rate stamp booklets plus:
a traditional gummed pane of 25 domestic-rate stamps, featuring four Chinese blessings; and- philatelic collectibles including an unsealed international-rate Official First Day Cover (OFDC), suitable for use as a “money envelope” in traditional gift-giving. [shown
The Year of the Pig begins on February 5, 2019, and ends on January 24, 2020. Those born under the sign are said to be frank, trusting, compassionate, diligent and determined.
The stamps and related collectibles are available at canadapost.ca and at postal outlets across Canada. 
Updated January 30th:
In response to an email query from The Virtual Stamp Club, Canada Post says there are significant differences between the Permanent sheet stamp and the Permanent booklet stamp: “The stamps on the panes are both foiled and embossed. The stamps in the booklet are not.”
Also, there is not a separate “OFDC” for the international-rate stamp: The souvenir sheet includes that stamp and rate, so it covers (sorry!) that. “Note that the international-rate stamp in the souvenir sheet is foiled and embossed, while the international-rate stamp in the booklet is foiled but not embossed.”
