The Canada Post (CPC), which is Canada's primary postal operator, has shut down across the country due to a workers strike which began on November 15, 2024. Involved are tens of thousands of postal workers striking over wages, working conditions, and other issues.
Update Effective December 18, 2024 - Canada Post employees should return to work on December 17 and resume service as usual. After two days of hearings, the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) has issued its ruling confirming the parties are at an impasse. As a result, the CIRB has ordered employees to return to work and postal operations to begin to resume at 8am local time on December 17, 2024. Canada Post operations will remain closed on Monday, December 16. Even though operations at Canada Post are set to resume, it will take time to clear the backlogs and delivery delays are expected to persist in the near term. All mail and parcels currently in the Canada Post network are secure and will be delivered as quickly as possible once operations resume. However, customers should expect delays.
Update Effective December 13, 2024 - Today, the Canadian federal government has asked the Canada Industrial Relations Board to intervene in the Canada Post strike. This step could lead to the board ordering 55,000 striking workers back to their jobs as soon as next week. An official update from Canada Post may not come until after the weekend. If operations do resume, it will take time to clear the backlogs, and delivery delays are expected to persist in the near term.
Update Effective November 29, 2024 - the US Postal Service will temporarily suspend international mail acceptance to Canada due to the foreign postal operator indicating that they are unable to process or deliver international mail or services as a result of the ongoing national strike by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers. See USPS announcement for further detail. The Postal Service is closely monitoring the situation and will continue to update customers until the situation returns to normal.
Key Impacts of the Canada Post Strike
The strike has caused a nationwide shutdown that has significant implications on package delivery with the holiday season approaching.
Mail and Parcel Delays: Canada Post is not processing or delivering any mail or parcels during the strike. This means significant delays for any items currently in the system.
Service Disruptions: Some post offices are closed, and service guarantees are suspended. Even after the strike ends, it may take time for services to return to normal.
Impact on Remote Communities: Rural and remote areas, which rely heavily on Canada Post, are particularly hard hit. Many private couriers do not service these areas fully.
Small Businesses: The strike is a significant blow to small businesses that depend on Canada Post for shipping goods, invoicing, and receiving payments.
Next Steps to Re-Route Packages
If you have orders coming into Canada, expect delays and consider using alternative shipping methods if possible. While Purolator, a subsidiary of Canada Post, is not handling Canada Post-originated mail, other couriers like FedEx, UPS, Landmark, and Passport are not affected and may be used as alternatives. It is highly recommended to ship DDP only. DDU shipments will be held until USPS resumes service.
FAQ
Can I continue shipping to Canada with the Postal Service?
We highly recommend moving to Passport, Landmark, or UPS for orders to Canada. It is recommended to ship DDP only as DDU shipments will be securely held until USPS resumes services.
Can I continue shipping DDU and DDP services to Canada?
We highly recommend shipping DDP only as USPS has now suspended their services to Canada temporarily.
Which DCL international strategic carriers are affected?
FedEx and UPS services utilized by DCL are not affected. Passport and Landmark are our strategic carriers that leverage Canada Post as a shipping partner. Our team is in constant communication with all of these carriers as they work to reroute as much volume away from Canada Post as possible. Note that some areas like PO boxes and remote areas can only be serviced by Canada Post.
Will all Canadian shipments be affected?
FedEx and UPS Canadian shipments will not be affected. Passport and Landmark may have a delay of 1-2 days. Passport and Landmark are handing of Canadian packages to other final mile carrier when possible so there is least amount of orders affected and delayed.
How will transit time be affected during the strike?
To manage expectations, add two business days to the estimated delivery dates (EDD) for all affected shipments. DCL Strategic carriers will continue to update tracking pages accordingly to reflect delays.