Canada Post workers are engaged in a nationwide strike, disrupting mail and parcel deliveries across the country as they protest government-mandated reforms and seek a fair labor agreement. The strike, which began on September 25, 2025, has led to significant delays, but a shift to rotating strikes starting October 11 has allowed some services to resume, though uncertainties remain.
The strike was triggered by the federal government’s announcement of sweeping changes to Canada Post, aimed at stabilizing the financially struggling Crown corporation. These reforms include ending door-to-door mail delivery for approximately four million households, closing some rural post offices, reducing delivery days, and allowing non-urgent mail to be transported by ground instead of air. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), representing 55,000 employees, argues that these measures will result in substantial job losses and degrade public postal services, calling the move a direct assault on reliable mail delivery and unionized jobs.
In response to the ongoing dispute, CUPW transitioned from a full nationwide strike to rotating strikes on October 11, 2025. This means that while some workers continue striking in specific locations, others have returned to work, enabling mail delivery to resume in many areas starting October 15. However, Canada Post has warned customers to expect delays and instability in services due to the rotating nature of the job action, which could shift without notice depending on negotiation progress or union decisions.
The impact of the strike has been felt widely, with millions of Canadians experiencing interruptions in receiving mail, parcels, and essential documents. Small businesses, in particular, have faced financial hardships; for example, one doll company reported over $300,000 in losses during previous strikes, prompting a shift to private delivery services. Despite the disruptions, government social security cheques are still being delivered, and passport applications continue to be processed, with options for in-person pickup to mitigate delays for urgent needs.
Negotiations between CUPW and Canada Post have been ongoing for nearly two years, with the latest offer from the postal service made on October 3. It includes a 13.59% wage increase over four years, health and retirement benefits, and up to seven weeks of vacation, but removes a signing bonus and proposes workforce reductions through attrition. The union has rejected this offer, describing it as a major step backward that fails to address job security and service quality concerns, while Canada Post maintains that such changes are necessary to address its financial crisis.
Canada Post’s financial struggles are a key driver of the reforms, with the corporation reporting a $1 billion loss in 2024 and projecting a $1.5 billion deficit for 2025. A government-commissioned review highlighted that the postal service is effectively insolvent, citing a dramatic decline in letter mail volume from 5.5 billion pieces two decades ago to 2.2 billion in 2023, coupled with increased competition in parcel delivery. To stay afloat, Ottawa provided a $1 billion loan in January 2025, emphasizing the need for structural changes to reduce reliance on taxpayer funds.
Public and political reactions to the strike and reforms are divided. Some Canadians, like small business owners, support downsizing the postal service to ensure fiscal responsibility, while others, especially in rural communities, fear that ending home delivery will isolate elderly and vulnerable residents. The federal government, under Prime Minister Mark Carney, has defended the reforms as essential for viability, and Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu has not ruled out intervention, similar to the back-to-work legislation used in a previous 32-day strike in November 2024.
The future of the strike remains uncertain, with no clear timeline for a resolution. CUPW hopes that rotating strikes will maintain public pressure and support for preserving a robust postal service, while Canada Post insists on the urgency of aligning operations with modern demands. As negotiations continue, the outcome will not only affect postal workers and customers but also set a precedent for how Canada balances public service obligations with economic sustainability in an era of digital transformation.