EDITORIAL: A death wish at Canada Post?

Article content

If Canada Post and its union have a death wish, they’re going about it in the right way, with the possibility of a second postal strike in five months starting as early as May 22. 

It would actually be a continuation of the earlier strike which began on Nov. 15, 2024 and was suspended by the Canada Industrial Labour Relations Board on Dec. 17, 2025. 

That was to give the federal Crown corporation and its union representing 55,000 employees until May 22 to negotiate a new deal, which so far hasn’t happened, with the two sides continuing talks under a mediator. 

To describe Canada Post’s financial situation as precarious would be an understatement. 

The last time it turned a profit was in 2017. 

Between 2018 and 2023 it lost $3 billion before taxes and it’s not hard to see why. 

As noted in its 2023 annual report, mail volume in Canada declined from 5.5 billion letters in 2006 to 2.2 billion in 2023. 

In 2006, Canadian households received an average of seven letters per week which had dropped to two letters in 2023. 

Describing its financial situation, Canada Post said it “is at a critical juncture in its history. With financial pressures mounting, its long-standing role as a vital, publicly-owned national infrastructure for Canadians and Canadian businesses is under significant threat.” 

The tempting thing would be to shut Canada Post down but that would have consequences as well. 

According to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, the last postal strike cost small and medium-sized businesses more than $1 billion, as millions of parcels and letters sat idle during the Christmas holiday season. 

This was due to lost orders and late payments, with many businesses forced to use more expensive delivery alternatives while unable to promote themselves during their busiest time of year. 

When it ordered postal employees back to work, the previous Liberal government created an industrial inquiry commission to examine Canada Post’s financial situation and release its findings by May 15. 

That could set the stage for a second back-to-work order if the two sides don’t reach an agreement by May 22, which is the earliest day the strike could resume, given that the last thing the economy needs right now is another postal strike.