People are seen walking by the Canada Post building in Mississauga, Ontario, on Thursday, May 22, 2025. A possible strike by Canada Post workers could begin as early as Friday. Photo: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Small business owners across Canada are bracing for tough days ahead as the threat of a Canada Post strike continues to grow. For many, including Erin Primrose, who runs a clothing boutique in Lethbridge, Alberta, the fear of another delivery disruption is real and pressing.
Erin, who manages Thelma & Thistle, says she's already scrambling to line up other delivery options. “It’s overwhelming,” she shared. “We want to stay fair to our customers while making sure their orders arrive on time.”
On Thursday, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers announced it would begin a countrywide ban on overtime work as it continues negotiations with Canada Post. Talks have yet to make significant progress, and there’s growing concern a full strike could happen—again.
This wouldn’t be the first disruption. In late 2024, Canada Post workers walked off the job for over a month, a move that cost small businesses dearly in both time and money. Erin remembers it all too well. “Switching couriers last time was a nightmare,” she said. “I spent hours tracking lost packages, filing claims, and calming down angry customers.”
This time around, she hopes to be better prepared. But the stress remains. “It’s not just about our business—it’s about real people across the country who rely on mail and parcels,” Erin said.
Catharine Eckersley, who runs a health supply business that delivers medical equipment to remote parts of Alberta, says the impact can be far more serious than delayed fashion orders. During the last strike, she witnessed people having to reuse catheters and needles. “These aren’t just inconveniences,” she said. “They affect people’s health and dignity.”
Catharine has been helping her clients stock up in advance this time, but worries still linger. “There are alternative couriers,” she said. “But they’re slower and a lot more expensive.”
Dan Kelly, head of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, says the timing couldn’t be worse. “Many of these small businesses are barely holding on,” he said. “A strong wind could blow some of them over.”
Businesses are still trying to recover from the financial hit of the COVID-19 pandemic. The last postal strike alone cost small firms roughly $1 billion in added expenses, according to Kelly. Now, they’re also facing the economic uncertainty from Canada's ongoing trade tensions with the U.S., which has further pushed up costs and dented consumer spending.
The union representing postal workers is demanding a 19% wage increase over four years, citing inflation and higher living costs. Canada Post has offered 13%, but the union says that’s not enough. Other sticking points include the proposed addition of more part-time positions and a new delivery system called “dynamic routing,” which would change delivery routes daily—a proposal critics say lacks clear planning.
As negotiations continue with little progress, small businesses across the country are left waiting—and worrying.
