Canada Post Strike Continues to Threatens Agri-Businesses and Rural Communities

Agri-Businesses Face Mounting Losses as Postal Disruption Halts Deliveries Across the Country

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is calling on the federal government to take swift action to end the ongoing Canada Post strike, warning that the disruption is causing serious harm to small businesses – including many in the agriculture sector.

“The government’s announced reforms to modernize Canada Post are long overdue and desperately needed. It is extremely disappointing that the union has chosen to punish Canada Post’s remaining customers rather than work with the corporation and government on a plan to implement the critical changes needed to make the postal service viable,” said Dan Kelly, CFIB president. “Ottawa must step in immediately to end the strike and push forward with the announced reforms.”

The impact of postal disruptions is already being felt in the agriculture community and beyond. Last year’s strike, which lasted from November 15 to December 17, cost small businesses—including agri-businesses—over $1 billion. According to CFIB data, 13% of small businesses have already stopped using Canada Post since that strike, and nearly two-thirds said they would do the same if another strike occurs.

“Small businesses are one of the last groups of profitable customers for Canada Post. Every time there is a service disruption, more and more businesses leave Canada Post for good. The strike will make the job of saving Canada Post much more difficult,” Kelly added. CFIB’s Business Helpline is receiving urgent calls from business owners across the country, including:

• A native plant nursery in Alberta with live plants in the mail that will die before reaching their destination. The company says it will have to replace the products and reship them at a more expensive rate.
• A dairy farm in Ontario that has moved most of its payments online since the last strike, but currently has a cheque worth thousands of dollars delayed in the mail.
• Farms.com print publications, including the October edition of Farms.com Ag Buyer’s Guide and Better Farming Prairies, are unable to reach readers due to the strike—delaying essential information during harvest season.

“It’s been a tough year for small business owners including many agribusinesses, with rising costs and massive uncertainty over trade, and so we desperately need some stability as we begin the critical holiday shopping season,” said Corinne Pohlmann, executive vice-president of advocacy at CFIB. “We urge the federal government to quickly step in and ensure Canada Post workers are back on the job, so businesses can count on reliable services while reforms are being implemented.”

Farms.com is encouraging agri-businesses affected by the Canada Post strike to share their stories by visiting cfib.ca.