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OTTAWA – Canada Post employees have walked off the job in a nationwide strike after the federal government approved plans for the corporation to phase out door-to-door mail delivery.
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers announced the action on Thursday, hours after Ottawa confirmed the restructuring plan. The government has said the changes are needed to address annual losses estimated at $1.5 billion and to reflect a sharp decline in traditional mail volumes.
Picket lines went up in major centres across the country, with workers leaving their posts immediately following the announcement. The union says the changes will result in job losses and reduced service standards, particularly affecting seniors and residents in rural and remote areas.
Negotiations between the union and Canada Post have been ongoing since late 2023, but the government’s decision has stalled progress. The strike halts all regular mail and parcel deliveries nationwide, with no indication from the corporation on when service may resume.
In Fort McMurray, the majority of residents already collect mail at community mailboxes, but parcel service interruptions are expected immediately.
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