Canada Post Reopens Tomorrow, But Won't Accept New Parcels Until Thursday

[ecgt]

The company just posted an update on their website. The most important part for eBay sellers is where they claim they "will not receive or pick up new product until Thursday, December 19."

Link:

https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/our-company/news-and-media/corporate-news/negotiations...

[msau4301]

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Some people said they planned on showing up 30-60 minutes before the store even opened to be one of the first in line. But I have no idea if we'll even be able to accept these people's parcels/mail.

Yikes, that's what I imagined, I have to go to Shoppers today and the one near me is a small one, if there were lines they'd probably reach out into the mall. I know the poor girl had to be there at that post office all the closed weeks regardless (many people don't realize they are not Canada Post employees), but at least she got her hours and can bounce in and out doing some store re-stocking too. I'll go check in on her today, I imagine there will be a sign on the desk, but no one will read it. 

I'm not sending anything out myself for some time but my daughter has a few presents in the mail (she likes to buy from small artists/sellers) so I hope at least one of them makes it through (the one she got for me! just kidding).

[silverpinups]

The postal system will start accepting new international mail on Monday, December 23.

Does that mean I can't ship my package to the USA until Monday, Dec.23/24?

[daisydaisy999]

Just an update to anyone who was curious - eBay labels did open the CP option back up today and I dropped by the Shoppers Drug Mart CP counter on my way home this morning hoping there would at least be a sign letting me know what is going on - and my regular person was there, thrilled to see anyone because she looked bored out of her mind - she said no problem taking my packages, so I went back a bit later with a pile of them and the corner of my kitchen looks so empty now! 🙂

[john_koenig99]

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@38e_avenue wrote:

•	Customers should expect delays into 2025.

^^THIS^^ Simply put, stay away of CP like the plague. Bye, Bye, Canada Post. 

[38e_avenue]

Indeed! It's now open, again. However, I will use ChitChats until the end of this year ("just in case") or maybe even longer.  

[fergua3]

No it means anyone outside of Canada will not be able to ship to Canada using the postal system until Dec 23.  They can ship to Canada using couriers of course.

As of this Thursday Canada Post will start processing packages being shipped abroad, same as everything else.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@sin-n-dex wrote:

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@john_koenig99 wrote:

Let's see how long they take to distribute the thousands of backlogged parcels due for delivery. Out of those thousands, ten are mine. Lol. 

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I've got four stuck in the system (one is actually sitting in the mailroom at my work, it was dropped off the day before the strike, but not picked up because I was late dropping it off).

We've got 7000 letters to mail out at work... it dawned on me that none of these letters have postage on them. Our mail room is going to be busy!

C.

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@sin-n-dex 

[ilikehockeyjerseys]

I would be a bit cautious about using lettermail because Canada Post is only protecting sellers with tracking, but purely from a seller protection standpoint, I would be confident using Expedited Lite. They have extended delivery windows and added seller protection. 

I do think if you're already using Chit Chats or Stallion and shipping domestically for a similar price to Expedited Lite, it's a good idea from a marketing POV to keep using them and only use Expedited Lite for Rural or PO Boxes. Or, to give buyers a choice at checkout. Some buyer might avoid Canada Post listings in fear of delays, whether that fear is warranted or not. 

[dinomitesales]

Surprisingly, it was not very busy today at the post office I work at. It was business as usual for us - we were able to do everything we could do before the strike including accepting any parcels. No line-ups, people coming in and out at a manageable rate where we didn't really need two tills open all day.

I'm thinking that either people thought we weren't accepting anything until Thursday based on Canada Post's statements (which were, admittedly, ambiguous), or it's just too late in the season and no one wants to mail anything. I guess we'll see if it picks up on Thursday.

[fergua3]

I went to my Post Office today.  Only a handful of customers were there.  Little waiting.   There ARE pick ups today from Canada Post, like normal.  I was very surprised to hear that......the lady at the counter told me that the 'not accepting packages until Thursday' was misleading as it only applied to 'commercial operators'...not sure what she meant but Canada Post was definitely picking up today, at least at my Shoppers DM in the GTA.

[john_koenig99]

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@fergua3 wrote:

I went to my Post Office today.  Only a handful of customers were there.  Little waiting.   There ARE pick ups today from Canada Post, like normal.  I was very surprised to hear that......the lady at the counter told me that the 'not accepting packages until Thursday' was misleading as it only applied to 'commercial operators'...not sure what she meant but Canada Post was definitely picking up today, at least at my Shoppers DM in the GTA.

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Yes, picking up but zero backlogged deliveries, so far.

I saw the van earlier today, with the CP guy opening all the mailboxes in one of the community boxes in my neighborhood, so that gave me hope! Later, I checked my box and there were just a couple of junk leaflets inside...Bummer. I know, patience is not a virtue of mine. LOL. 

[daisydaisy999]

and an update to my update - not only could I drop off yesterday they must have been picking up from the SDM as well, two of my local Poshmark packages were delivered today and everything else is showing up as moving through the system!

[sin-n-dex]

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@dinomitesales wrote:

Surprisingly, it was not very busy today at the post office I work at. It was business as usual for us - we were able to do everything we could do before the strike including accepting any parcels. No line-ups, people coming in and out at a manageable rate where we didn't really need two tills open all day.

I'm thinking that either people thought we weren't accepting anything until Thursday based on Canada Post's statements (which were, admittedly, ambiguous), or it's just too late in the season and no one wants to mail anything. I guess we'll see if it picks up on Thursday.

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At my post office (which was in a 7-Eleven, worked there from 2003 to 2007), I found the one week before Christmas it was pretty dead and there was lots of incoming packages that were carded for people to pick up, but not so many outgoing packages. I found most people mailed the outgoing stuff 2-3 weeks before Christmas.

C.

[fergua3]

All the packages i took to the PO yesterday were not only picked up but processed and are 'in transit'.  So anyone debating whether to use Canada Post i see no problem with doing so.

Alternatively, i have some packages coming to me from europe that were caught in the strike and they have not budged yet.  Parcelsapp says they have all arrived in Canada weeks ago.....so i imagine there is a giant backlog that they are working through.

[recped]

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@fergua3 wrote:

All the packages i took to the PO yesterday were not only picked up but processed and are 'in transit'.  So anyone debating whether to use Canada Post i see no problem with doing so.

Alternatively, i have some packages coming to me from europe that were caught in the strike and they have not budged yet.  Parcelsapp says they have all arrived in Canada weeks ago.....so i imagine there is a giant backlog that they are working through.

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The major problems if there are any will be starting tomorrow. The alleged bad on accepting mail untiul today seems to apply only to bulk mailer that direct enter their mailing as postal facilities rather than at local Post Offices.

For example, credit card companies, ultilities, banks etc will be dumping two months of billings into the system as of today (Thursday). This type of mail makes the mail handed over at local post offices a minor issue.

All my utility bills etc. that would have been delivered from Nov 15 - 19 arrived in my mailbox today. My credit card statement which is usually the last one to arrive did not show up but I expect that it didn't actually get sent before the strike.

If you are wondering.....for no particular reason I have not gone with any electronic billing for this type of stuff (although my payments are all done elctronically).