The holiday season is nearing full swing, but even with Canada Post on strike and only a short time remaining, Canadians hoping to get their gifts to loved ones still have time.
But it depends where you’re planning to ship to.
The strike is entering its fourth week, but neither side have shown signs of nearing a deal. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers is reviewing a recent response from Canada Post, and the Crown corporation says it’s waiting for a formal response to that messaging.
With no word on a potential resolution at this time, Canadians have had to turn to other couriers for their deliveries, or are left hoping any mail stuck in transit with Canada Post can be delivered quickly if the strike ends.
For FedEx shipments to Canada, you should ship no later than Dec. 19 if using its economy service, with Dec. 23 the latest for overnight shipping with a Dec. 24 delivery.
If you are in western or Atlantic Canada, however, and want to ship to the opposite side of the country, check the courier’s website for rates and delivery dates.
For example, if you want to ship from Vancouver to St. John’s using FedEx ground shipping, you would need to ship by Tuesday in order for it to be delivered by Dec. 23.
U.S. shipments using FedEx can still be shipped between Dec. 20 and 23, depending on the shipping method. However, those who want to ship internationally from Canada will need to search rates for their destination online.
For Purolator, which is owned by Canada Post but is taking new packages, Canadians can ship as late as Dec. 23 to both Canada and the U.S.
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However, Purolator cautions those who want next-day service on shipments to arrive by Dec. 24 should ship by Dec. 18 to allow for possible weather delays or volume increases.
Those shipping to western Europe, Australia, the Caribbean, Mexico, and South and Central America can ship as late as Dec. 18, while East Asia destinations should be shipped by Dec. 17.
Those using Purolator Ground for U.S. destinations are encouraged to ship no later than this Friday, while Wednesday is the deadline for packages bound for Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and South Asia.
If you’re more looking at UPS, people should ship no later than Dec. 16 if you want a Dec. 23 delivery by ground shipping, the courier says.
Those shipping with its expedited or express service can ship by Dec. 20 and 23, respectively.
Those wanting to ship to the U.S. could ship as early as Dec. 19 but no later than Dec. 23 dependent on shipping method. If you want to ship to the U.S. via standard shipping or send a package internationally, you may need to check online to ensure delivery dates.
But some business leaders are cautioning Canadians may still need to brace for delays and are encouraging people to consider shopping in store for your gifts.
“I think Canadian consumers have to brace themselves that Christmas 2024, in terms of shipping capacity, is already at its maximum,” said Dan Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.
“Please go into your local business for anything that you can hand-deliver and make a purchase in store.”
Kelly said he’s hoping Canadians will also be understanding as small and independent businesses work to try and get Christmas gifts to their destinations before the big day, with private couriers like FedEx and UPS also seeing an influx due to the Canada Post strike which could lead to delays.
And that for includes holiday gifts.
“Effectively we’ve lost Christmas with Canada Post, like even if the strike were settled today, there is no way that Canada Post is even going to get through all of the backlog that is in the system in order for it to pick up a single new package and get it to its destination before the holidays,” he said. “So Canada Post is effectively done for for 2024. There is no hope for it to come back as an option for small businesses this year.
“Your business may be out of options to get your package to its end destination through any courier system or delivery company in the country unless you have a very strong contract in place.”
Canada Post said in an email to Global News that after it received the latest offer from CUPW, it did not want to provide “false hope” to people hoping for a quick resolution to the strike, stating the union had “reverted to its previous positions or increased their demands.”
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