Nearly a week after Canada Post workers went on strike nationwide, federal, provincial and territorial governments say Canadians will still be able to receive essential government mail and financial support cheques through other means.
The strike has brought mail delivery across the country to a halt. Only certain government cheques are still being mailed out.
An agreement between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) allows some unionized employees to deliver federal support payments during the labour dispute. Those payments include the Canada Child Benefit, Old Age Security and the Canada Pension Plan.
Service Canada says most of the people who receive these federal financial assistance payments — between 94 and 98 per cent — get the funds through direct deposit.
The federal government says employment insurance (EI) clients can contact Service Canada if they are in “dire need.” Service Canada says it can make arrangements for cheques to be delivered to their homes or a government office.
The Canada Post strike is hitting Canada’s northern regions and vulnerable communities hard. One Ottawa food bank, which gets most of its financial donations through the mail, warns the disruption is seriously impacting its ability to serve clients.
Nearly all other government support payments and correspondence will not be mailed during the strike. Most provinces and territories are making support cheques available for pickup at government offices. They are also encouraging people to switch to online payments or direct deposit if they can.
In Ontario, welfare and disability support cheques are not being mailed out. A spokesperson for the provincial government said about 2.5 per cent of recipients still get their money via cheques in the mail.
“There is a plan in place to ensure that clients will receive their payment through their local offices on time,” the spokesperson said in an email to CBC News.
Ontarians who receive disability payments by mail will be contacted by local offices and told where their cheques will be sent at the end of the month, the spokesperson added.
In Quebec, a long list of payments will be distributed through most provincial services offices on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
“The Government of Quebec is doing everything in its power to enable thousands of government program beneficiaries to receive their cheques,” the provincial government’s website says.
The government of British Columbia is warning there could be longer lineups as people come to get their payments at ministry offices.
“Bring your ID and be patient with staff,” the province’s website reads.
Postal workers have agreed to deliver Alberta’s Seniors Benefit and Alberta Pension cheques. The Alberta government says it’s also using “contingent mail services.”
Albertans will be notified by the provincial government if there is government mail they need to pick up. Those who need to send mail to the Alberta government can drop it off at a designated provincial office, no stamp required.
Manitoba has also opened up pick-up and drop-off locations for cheques and other essential government mail.
Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nova Scotia all have plans in place as well.
Territories use couriers, cargo to move essential mail
The Yukon government said it’s partnered with a local courier to transport essential government mail to communities across the territory.
“Community post offices remain open and are still able to distribute mail in their respective communities. They operate under a different union,” a spokesperson for the Northwest Territories said in an email to CBC News.
In Whitehorse, each department has a designated pickup point for essential government mail.
The government of the Northwest Territories told CBC News it is using couriers, trucking companies and airlines to help move its essential mail.
It says residents who normally receive income assistance and the Seniors Home Heating Subsidy through the mail can pick up their cheques at Education, Culture and Employment service centres, or contact a client navigator to request a different option.
“Our staff are ready to assist clients and make arrangements to ensure they receive their benefits,” a spokesperson for the Northwest Territories wrote in a statement to CBC News.
Nunavut has found other ways to transport and deliver materials between communities, a spokesperson for the territorial government said.
Government identification and certificates can be delivered through Nunavut’s “robust cargo network, which the government of Nunavut uses regularly to transport documents and goods,” the territory wrote in a statement issued to CBC News.
“Government Liaison Offices in each community may be used to assist in local distribution of government documents shipped to communities.”
A total of 55,000 Canada Post workers went on strike on Nov. 15 after a year of negotiating with the Crown corporation over a new collective agreement. Both sides remain at the negotiating table.