Canada Post workers have been on strike for a week, bringing mail and parcel deliveries to a halt nationwide.
Here’s what you need to know about sending and receiving mail during the strike.
Will you still get mail and parcels?
No. Due to the strike, mail and parcel delivery services have been halted across the country and new items will not be accepted until the strike ends. Undelivered items that are already in the system will be held back until normal operations resume.
“Canada Post’s operations will shut down during a national strike, affecting millions of Canadians and businesses across the country,” Canada Post said in a statement. “Mail and parcels will not be processed or delivered for the duration of the national strike, and some post offices will be closed.”
Once the strike ends, expect delivery delays as Canada Post deals with a backlog of mail and parcels. For items that are already in the system, service guarantees have been suspended.
Are there any exceptions?
Social assistance cheques will continue to be delivered to seniors and other Canadians who rely on them thanks to an agreement between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers.
If you are expecting others payments from the government, consider signing up for direct bank deposits. Canadians should also consider signing up for online bank statements.
Live animals that have already been shipped will also be delivered, although new animals will not be accepted into the system until the strike is over.
What about new passports, driver’s licences and health cards?
Passport applications are still being processed, but new passports will not be mailed out until the labour disruption ends. Anyone in immediate need of a new passport can arrange a pickup or courier delivery by visiting a Service Canada location, a passport office, or by calling 1-800-567-6868. Call the same number if your passport is currently stuck in the mail and you urgently need one for travel.
If your new driver’s licence or health card has already been mailed out, be sure to hold onto your temporary or expired card and any relevant transaction receipts. New cards will only be mailed out once the strike ends.
What if you still need to send something?
Private courier companies like FedEx, Purolator, UPS, DHL and Canpar are still operating, although they can be more expensive than Canada Post.
Smaller delivery companies and bike couriers can be found in many Canadian cities. Rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft also offer local parcel delivery.
Why are postal workers on strike?
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers began a nationwide strike on Sept. 25. This is the third job action by postal workers in a year.
The latest strike was launched after the federal government announced a major overhaul of Canada Post services to address its troubled finances. Proposed cost-saving measures over the next decade include closing some rural post offices and ending daily door-to-door delivery in favour of community mailboxes. The postal workers union opposes such changes and is also seeking improved wages and working conditions.
“This slapdash approach without full public consultation is an insult to the public and to postal workers,” the union said in a statement. “We cannot accept this attack on good jobs and public services.”
In a public letter, Canada Post CEO Doug Ettinger defended the proposed service changes.
“Unfortunately, when Canada Post loses money, taxpayers now foot the bill – a bill which currently amounts to about $1 billion a year,” Ettinger wrote. “Instead of increasing our reliance on taxpayers, there are practical changes we can make to modernize the nation’s postal service and make it financially sustainable.”
With files from The Canadian Press