Small Businesses on Edge as Canada Post Strike Looms
The manager of an Alberta-based clothing shop states that small enterprises similar to hers are experiencing anxiety with a potential strike looming for numerous Canada Post employees.
Erin Primrose has been hurriedly getting ready to dispatch orders from Thelma & Thistle in Lethbridge through alternate shipping methods.
“We’re definitely in a rush,” she stated during an interview on Thursday.
It can be quite stressful. We strive to ensure that we’re making the best decisions for our customers, respecting them without taking advantage of them. That would simply feel wrong.
Approximately 55,000 members of the Canadian Union Of Postal Workers are poised to begin striking just after midnight.
This would mark the second postal strike within twelve months. The previous walkout occurred in November and led to halted operations right up until just before Christmas.
Primrose mentioned that her store experienced a minor rise in shipping expenses during the 2024 strike when they shifted to alternate delivery services.
She mentioned that it was both frustrating and very time-consuming to adapt and learn the new systems.
I dedicated countless hours to holding for package updates, filing claims, tracking down misplaced items, and handling irate customers.
She hopes that this time a strike will be simpler to handle.
“This is a significant matter and it impacts more than just businesses; it affects people throughout Canada,” Primrose stated.
Catharine Eckersley owns a small business where she provides and arranges for medical equipment like wound care products and catheters — a device usually employed to extract urine from the body — for patients located in isolated regions of Alberta.
She mentioned that the final strike caused certain individuals to resort to using the same needles multiple times or reusing catheters and also led them to postpone their trips to the restroom as frequently.
Even though her customers are better equipped for another attack and have pre-ordered or purchased supplies in larger quantities, she admitted that she remains concerned about their well-being.
“Many individuals rely on crucial medical supplies being delivered,” stated Eckersley, CEO of Valley to Peak OT Consulting Ltd.
Other delivery options exist, but sadly they usually require more time and money.
Nevertheless, she stated that she is resolved to discover alternate delivery methods similar to what she did previously if the strike proceeds.
Dan Kelly, who leads the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses, mentioned that numerous business proprietors, already grappling with unstable periods, are feeling anxious about the potential for further labor disruptions.
Given how fragile these small companies are at present, even a moderate gust of wind might knock them down… their weakness is truly dire.
When businesses were still recuperating from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada Post employees went on strike last year, he mentioned.
The 32-day strike led to an extra billion dollars in expenses for small business owners during this timeframe.
Kelly further noted that they are now grappling with uncertainties arising from Canada’s trade dispute with the United States.
This not only resulted in increased expenses and uncertain risks for smaller enterprises but has also caused a decline in customer demand.
According to the union’s website, the most recent proposal from the postal service—a 13 percent raise over four years—does not meet the 19 percent hike requested by employees to match escalating cost-of-living expenses.
This has also sparked worries regarding Canada Post’s proposal to incorporate additional part-time employees and implement “dynamic routing” — a system where mail delivery routes might alter every day to accommodate fluctuating circumstances — with no specifics provided on its operation.
Canada Post mentioned they have noticed a decrease in mail volume and are urgently seeking a solution.
“Remain optimistic about the resumption of negotiations,” stated postal service representative Lisa Liu.
The report from The Canadian Press was initially released on May 22, 2025.
— With contributions from Craig Lord in Ottawa
Fakiha Baig from The Canadian Press