During Canada Post's busiest time of the year, a potential strike could disrupt services for Canadians and businesses nationwide.
The rural, suburban and urban bargaining units of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) issued strike notices to Canada Post on Tuesday.
Canada's postal workers could walk off the job or the company could lock them out as soon as 12:01 a.m. ET Friday if they don't reach an agreement. Here's what you can do to prepare for a potential Canada Post work stoppage.
Canada Post says if workers begin rotating strike activity, it will continue deliveries whenever possible as it works to reach a deal with the union.
"In the event of a labour disruption, the Corporation will work to minimize service disruptions, but customers may experience delays," Canada Post warned in a news release Tuesday. "Shutting down facilities or regions with rotating strikes can cause immediate and prolonged ripple effects throughout the network."
Even during the possible disruption, Canada Post is assuring Canadians it will continue to deliver socio-economic cheques for eligible and participating government organizations. They are next scheduled to be delivered on Nov. 20.
"The agreement ensures government financial assistance delivered by mail will reach seniors and other Canadians who rely on it," Canada Post wrote in the press release.
Canada Post said it will include the latest information on negotiations and possible affected locations on its website.
With Christmas around the corner, 22 per cent of Canadians have already begun their holiday shopping, according to a new survey by the Retail Council of Canada and Leger.
“It's the busiest time of year and Canadian retailers are definitely worried about how (the potential strike) will impact the holiday season,” Santo Ligotti, vice-president of marketing and member services with the Retail Council of Canada in Toronto, said in a video interview with CTVNews.ca on Tuesday.
Shopping in the stores rather than online, as well as buying physical or virtual gift cards, are a few ways Canadians can avoid problems if postal workers strike, he said. Online shoppers may have the option of picking up purchases at a location near them instead of having them mailed, he added.
"Should the strike happen, we are confident that a resolution will occur and that the disruption will be minimal," he said.
While many consumers no longer depend on Canada Post for mail, many small businesses do rely heavily on the government postal service, said Dan Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) in Toronto.
Kelly listed examples including businesses sending invoices and shipping goods to consumers, especially in rural and remote communities, and promoting themselves to customers.
"I think the first thing is Canadians should stop using Canada Post for anything that has any degree of urgency," Kelly said in a video interview with CTVNews.ca on Tuesday.
Kelly recommends everyone who relies on the service to find private alternatives, such as FedEx, DHL and UPS, or digital options.
Business owners should consider using e-transfers, he added, and look at other options for shipping products to consumers as soon as possible.
"There are private sector shipping options, but many of them are more expensive and don't have the same geographical reach as Canada Post might to every corner of Canada."
To avoid getting charged a fee if you receive your bill late in the mail, switch to online billing for your accounts, including for electricity, gas and cable, and set up pre-authorized debits, RBC wrote in an article with advice on preparing for a possible strike.
Banking online or through mobile apps will also make life easier and can save time instead of relying on mail or going to the branch, it said.
To avoid missing cheques in the mail, set up a direct deposit for regular payments you receive, such as for CPP, Employment Insurance or Canada Child Benefits, RBC added.
If you need to send money, do so electronically such as through e-transfer. If you want to send cards and gifts, also send them online, according to the bank.
The teenager who is sick with the first-ever human case of avian influenza acquired in Canada is in hospital in critical condition, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said Tuesday.
The case of the missing butter remains a mystery, but some have ideas on what's behind the unusual crimes.
Former B.C. premier John Horgan, a popular leader renowned for his affable personality and dedicated public service, has died
The body of a man that was found in a park in the Ahunstic-Cartierville borough last month has been identified as cryptocurrency influencer Kevin Mirshahi.
Getting to destinations in the U.S., Europe and North Africa is about to get easier, as Air Canada announced it will be increasing flights to a number of new destinations this summer.
A young gorilla at the Calgary Zoo has died. The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo announced a member of its western lowland gorilla troop passed away unexpectedly, in a news release Tuesday.
Saint Mary's University archeologist Jonathan Fowler is sounding an alarm with a new study. According to Fowler, the centuries-old architecture that adds to Halifax’s heritage and historic vibe is slowly being wiped away as the city grows.
A Quebec provincial police officer has been suspended for 15 days without pay after throwing part of a young motorcycle accident victim's skull into a ravine in 2021.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he wants to see a bilateral trade deal between Canada and the U.S. if Mexico doesn’t crack down on “unfair” Chinese auto imports into North America.
A major water supply tunnel being built under the Fraser River between Surrey and New Westminster is expected to be both on time and on budget, according to Metro Vancouver officials.
Former B.C. premier John Horgan, a popular leader renowned for his affable personality and dedicated public service, has died
A search operation is underway for a 77-year-old man who has been missing since Tuesday morning.
Police have released new video footage that shows a vehicle speeding through a red light and crashing into another vehicle in Markham after its driver was reportedly struck by a rock and rendered unconscious.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he wants to see a bilateral trade deal between Canada and the U.S. if Mexico doesn’t crack down on “unfair” Chinese auto imports into North America.
Police say 23 people are in custody after at least 100 shots were fired in an exchange of gunfire outside a West Queen West recording studio on Monday night.
A young gorilla at the Calgary Zoo has died. The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo announced a member of its western lowland gorilla troop passed away unexpectedly, in a news release Tuesday.
Crown Surplus in Inglewood is closing for good at the end of the month.
Companies in Calgary's Marda Loop Business Improvement Area are hoping a pause in construction will bring some holiday cheer to their bottom line.
The principal of an Ottawa high school is apologizing to students, parents and guardians after an Arabic-language song was played during the school's Remembrance Day service. The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board is conducting a "thorough investigation" to ensure it "is addressed appropriately and meaningfully."
Postal workers could walk off the job or Canada Post could lock them out as soon as 12:01 a.m. Friday if they don't reach an agreement.
Bentley, a four-year-old springer-spaniel dog who went missing in Manotick earlier this month, has been found.
The body of a man that was found in a park in the Ahunstic-Cartierville borough last month has been identified as cryptocurrency influencer Kevin Mirshahi.
Montreal’s transit authority (STM) is facing backlash over its decision to close the Cabot Square entrance to the Atwater Metro station for the winter, a move that local organizations say limits crucial access to warmth and shelter for the city’s unhoused population.
A Quebec civil liberties group says it intends to push forward with legal action after the Supreme Court of Canada responded to its translation demand by simply removing thousands of unilingual English judgments from its website last week.
Alberta Sheriffs have shut down a Beaumont home that has "long been associated with drug and criminal activity in the community."
Jasper town council met Tuesday, discussing updates from the Jasper Recovery Coordination Centre (JRCC), funding for wastewater system upgrades and an upcoming festival.
The owners of the Princess Theatre on Whyte Avenue want to sell the historic building, but only to the right people.
The Nova Scotia Liberal Party has filed a complaint with Elections Nova Scotia, accusing a Progressive Conservative candidate of trying to buy votes by allegedly handing out gift cards outside of a Tim Hortons.
New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt confirmed Tuesday that her newly elected Liberal government will draft a carbon pricing plan that will be submitted for Ottawa's approval.
Halifax Regional Council is now back in session with a new mayor and several new councillors.
The City of Winnipeg is alerting the public of service changes if Canada Post workers walk off the job.
A weeklong closure of Portage Avenue East is set to begin Tuesday to allow for pre-construction traffic signal work at Portage and Main.
A motion from Coun. Sherri Rollins said the city should lower the limit to 30 km/h on Wellington Crescent from River Avenue to Kenaston Boulevard until a safe bike path can be built for all ages.
The trial of 49-year-old Ruben Manz recommenced on Tuesday morning, with the cross examination of the fourth witness. She was another former patient of the chiropractor who alleges that she was sexually assaulted during what Manz claimed to be a neck stretch in 2016.
The University of Regina Rams are used to being the underdog at this point in their season. However, the team is subverting expectations and driving further and further into the post-season for the first time in two decades.
The Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) is sharing more details regarding a fatal rollover in Moose Jaw late this week.
The woman accused of killing three people in three days in three Ontario cities also previously admitted to attacking strangers on buses in the Region of Waterloo.
The threat of a strike by Canada Post workers has small businesses in Waterloo Region feeling the pressure.
The case of the missing butter remains a mystery, but some have ideas on what's behind the unusual crimes.
Hundreds of employees from Saskatoon’s nine public libraries went on strike Tuesday.
Saskatoon police stats show incidents of property damage like smashed windows have risen in some neighbourhoods over most of the last five years, leaving businesses coping with the cost.
The Saskatoon Fire Department was called in for a rescue on Monday after a man got stuck inside a garbage truck.
The 18-year-old man accused in a vicious attack on his ex-girlfriend in Cobalt last week was sentenced to house arrest five days before the Nov. 3 assault.
The North Bay Regional Health Centre said Tuesday that it "is experiencing an unprecedented surge in patient volumes, resulting in a bed crisis."
City staff in Greater Sudbury have received numerous requests from residents to have automated speed enforcement cameras set up in their neighbourhoods.
Nearly a year ago, Loubani was arrested and charged with mischief for spraying ketchup on the exterior of Member of Parliament Peter Fragiskatos’ office. He spent a night at the holding cells inside London Police Service Headquarters.
The cost of policing in the Municipality of Brockton just went way up.
On Tuesday, from 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. on Wednesday, Richmond St. will be closed at Central Ave. to facilitate the installation of temporary traffic signals.
South Simcoe police were called to a residence in an Innisfil neighbourhood on Friday for medical service involving an infant.
One person was hospitalized after a fire broke out in a garage and spread to the attached home in Springwater Township.
Sparks flew at the County of Simcoe Tuesday morning during budget deliberations, with Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall making an impromptu address in council chambers.
Many sectors and Transit Windsor may feel the pinch as the finance committee budget review looks for ways to lower the proposed property tax increase for 2025.
The federal government announced on Tuesday it's investing over $25 million towards four Ontario projects, funded under the Green Shipping Corridor Program, including a multi-million-dollar project at Sterling Fuels in Windsor.
Five years after a fire forced residents to flee Westcourt Place in Windsor, the high-rise remains vacant, leaving former tenants like Steven Shpak grappling with loss, frustration, and unanswered questions.
Former B.C. premier John Horgan, a popular leader renowned for his affable personality and dedicated public service, has died
The teenager who is sick with the first-ever human case of avian influenza acquired in Canada is in hospital in critical condition, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said Tuesday.
The news Tuesday morning that former B.C. premier John Horgan had died at age 65 set off an outpouring of grief and condolences from across the province's political spectrum.
A B.C. woman who stole more than $14,000 in volunteer-raised funds that were supposed to be spent on school supplies and programs – including hot meals for vulnerable kids – won't spend any time in jail.
The emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver, B.C., will be closed for 31 hours this weekend, the second such closure in a week and the third since the start of November.
Police in Kamloops, B.C., are reminding parents and guardians to check their children's Halloween candy after receiving a report of a mother finding a razor blade in one of her daughter's treats.
The current economic conditions and financial position of the City of Lethbridge will be the focus of a two-day economic and finance standing policy committee (SPC) meeting starting Wednesday.
If you were at the cenotaph Remembrance Day ceremonies in Lethbridge, you may have caught a glimpse of our Dory Rossiter there on crutches.
Canadians across the country spent Monday paying tribute to the soldiers who have fought and died while serving Canada.
Last week, police in the Sault rescued a kitten trapped under a vehicle. And CERB, as the kitten has since been named, has been adopted by a member of the police.
Police in Sault Ste. Marie say three employees were attacked while at work Monday, receiving multiple blows to their heads before the suspect was subdued.
The 18-year-old man accused in a vicious attack on his ex-girlfriend in Cobalt last week was sentenced to house arrest five days before the Nov. 3 assault.
Police in Newfoundland say a man was electrocuted Saturday by a downed power wire about 10 kilometres north of St. John's, N.L.
On Thursday morning, Dave Penny officially ended a suggested hundred-day isolation period that followed his diagnosis and stem cell treatment for non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. On Thursday night, Penny returned to a stage at a downtown St. John's bar, regaling a small crowd with songs and stories with a distinctive Newfoundland flair.
A Memorial University scientist says the mysterious white blobs washing up on Newfoundland beaches are actually gobs of plastic -- and they need to be cleaned up.
Four years ago, Phill Hebb started up "Phil’s Unique Birdhouses" and since then, they’ve made their way all across Canada and into the United States.
A New Brunswick fashion designer recently won the top prize at a national event for a dress she made using an unconventional material.
Dr. Ronald Weiss, who performed nearly 60,000 vasectomies on Ottawa men, establishing him as the "Wayne Gretzky" of the procedure, has died.
A congestion crisis, a traffic nightmare, or unrelenting gridlock -- whatever you call it, most agree that Toronto has a congestion problem. To alleviate some of the gridlock, the Ontario government has announced it plans to remove bike lanes from three major roadways.
For the second year in a row, the ‘Gift-a-Family’ campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.
Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.
A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.
As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.
A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts – not for themselves, but for those in need.
The union representing locked-out port workers in British Columbia says it plans to challenge the federal government's intervention in the ongoing labour dispute.
Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon says the federal government currently has no plans to intervene in negotiations after the union representing Canada Post workers issued a 72-hour strike notice.
Canada has announced changes to their visitor visa policies, effectively ending the automatic issuance of 10-year multiple-entry visas, according to new rules outlined by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
The teenager who is sick with the first-ever human case of avian influenza acquired in Canada is in hospital in critical condition, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said Tuesday.
Details of a proposed law to legalize assisted dying in England and Wales have been published, rekindling debate on the controversial topic ahead of a vote in Parliament later this month.
Dr. Ronald Weiss, who performed nearly 60,000 vasectomies on Ottawa men, establishing him as the "Wayne Gretzky" of the procedure, has died.
The federal government is opening a research centre that will study risks posed by artificial intelligence technology.
Artificial intelligence tools can now superimpose a person’s face onto a nude body, or manipulate existing photos to make it look as if a person is not wearing clothes. Here's how to protect yourself.
African elephants are Earth's largest land animals, remarkable mammals that are very intelligent and highly social. They also are in peril.
Canada's major film and TV unions are pressuring Telefilm to only fund productions that sign collective agreements.
Eminem, Boy George, George Clinton, Sheryl Crow, Janet Jackson, the Doobie Brothers, N.W.A. and Alanis Morissette are among the nominees for the 2025 class at the Songwriters Hall of Fame, an eclectic group of rap, rock, hip-hop and pop pioneers.
Timothee Chalamet has shared a story that makes clear women in Hollywood aren't the only ones being judged for their physical appearances.
A small business advocacy group is re-upping calls to eliminate the carbon tax, after it says members learned the Canada carbon rebate for small businesses is a taxable benefit.
KFC accused Church's Texas Chicken of violating its trademark rights when its fried chicken competitor began using the words 'Original Recipe' in its advertising and promotions.
Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon says the federal government currently has no plans to intervene in negotiations after the union representing Canada Post workers issued a 72-hour strike notice.
My Little Pony finally made it to the winner's circle.
Four years ago, Phill Hebb started up "Phil’s Unique Birdhouses" and since then, they’ve made their way all across Canada and into the United States.
In the Australian city Geelong, just south of Melbourne, thousands are lining up for the rare chance to see – and smell – an unusual plant.
Canada's privacy commissioner is launching an investigation into the World Anti-Doping Agency. The move comes after Philippe Dufresne's office received a complaint about the Montreal-based agency's handling of biological samples collected from athletes.
Bev Priestman is out as coach of the Canadian women's soccer team in the wake of an independent report into the Olympic drone-spying scandal.
After a homestand that featured two shutouts and four straight wins, the Winnipeg Jets are looking to channel that success on the road, as they have one game on home ice for the rest of November.
Select Porsche owners in Canada have been told to stop driving their cars immediately and to seek repairs after an issue was identified that could cause wheels to separate from vehicles.
A driver's trip from London, Ont. to Ottawa to visit their girlfriend ended in a traffic stop for speeding on Highway 417, according to police.
Recall notices have been issued for some Volkswagen models from 2006 to 2019 for airbag safety issues.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
