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At the time of writing, Canada Post is not currently on strike, but as indicated by an August meeting, at which the Crown corporation and unionized Canada Post workers were unsuccessful in reaching a new deal, a Canada Post strike could very well be imminent. That means, for many businesses and consumers that rely on Canada Post for shipping, there might be difficult times ahead.

In this article, we will look at what you can expect from the Canada Strike Post and how you can prepare. We will also talk briefly about how, in the absence of Canada Post, you can get the cheapest international shipping from Canada through netParcel.

What To Expect

The earliest date proposed for the strike was September 26^th, although until a deal is reached there is always the possibility of a lockdown. Here’s what you can expect:

As many know, in the event of a strike, no new parcels or mail* can be sent through Canada Post. But what many people don’t know is that en route shipments – parcels or mail that went out before the strike went into effect, but weren’t delivered – will also be tied up. That means, even if a Canada Post strike might happen, it is a good idea to be proactive and seek out alternative modes of shipment (more on that below).

*Certain mail that the government deems essential, like old age pension cheques or disability benefits, to name a couple, will continue to be delivered through the lockdown.

You can also expect the Canada Post strike to put a strain on other carriers, as all Canada Post’s volume will need to be shouldered. With a fixed amount of trucks and warehouse space, carriers like UPS, DHL and Purolator are expected to make changes to their policy (or levy additional fees) to protect their networks. For businesses that rely on cheap cross-border shipments, this can be hard; luckily, netParcel is available to offer the cheapest way to ship from Canada to US and within Canada.

How To Prepare

If you are currently shipping with Canada Post… stop. Start making arrangements to ship your parcels through another carrier. This helps ensure that none of your parcels get caught up in “mailroom limbo” as the strike happens. You can keep using your new carrier throughout the lockdown, and after the strike as well, as Canada Post sorts out its backlogged shipments.

Avoiding disruption is important for businesses, and the most reliable and effective way you can do that in the event of a Canada Post strike is to set up a viable, cheap and reliable alternative.

Honestly, the smartest move in the lead-up to a potential Canada Post strike is to partner with netParcel. We offer the cheapest shipping from Canada to US and within Canada through a multitude of carriers. Whether small parcel or LTL, we negotiate the cheapest rates possible.

In the meantime, to keep abreast of the situation, you can check in on the Canada Post announcements page, which offers service alerts and updates.