Can Canadians still trust Canada Post with holiday mail after months of strikes?

Cue the festive panic: it’s less than one month until Christmas.

It’s also notoriously the busiest time of year for post offices. And with all the Canada Post labour action in the news lately, some people might be wondering if their packages and cards will still arrive in time for the holidays, or what their mailing options are.

Last week, Canada Post and the union representing thousands of mail carriers across the country said they reached agreements in principle after two years of contentious bargaining. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) said the sides “agreed on the main points of the deals,” and that rotating strike action had been suspended.

But what do they mean by, “in principle?” Could the strikes start again? And how can Canadians make sure their holiday packages arrive in time for the actual holidays?

Let’s break it down.

Could the strikes continue?

CBC News has reached out to Canada Post multiple times and not yet heard back.

But the corporation notes on its website that the parties have yet to finalize tentative collective agreements for signing. Once the agreements are signed, there’s expected to be a ratification vote by union members.

The Union will retain the right to strike until new agreements are ratified, CUPW notes in a news release.

So essentially, if the two sides can’t come to terms on the language in those deals, a strike could resume heading into the busy holiday season.

CUPW launched a nationwide strike in late September after the federal government announced sweeping changes to the Crown corporation, including authorizing it to end home delivery for the four million addresses that still receive it.

And according to CUPW, this round of bargaining has been “difficult.”

“CUPW negotiators for both bargaining units are now carefully reviewing contract language,” the union told CBC News in an email statement. 

“Reaching tentative collective agreements that postal workers can confidently ratify will bring much-needed stability back to the public postal service and ensure workers finally receive the fair working conditions and respect they deserve.”

Is it safe to send cards and gifts by Canada Post?

For the moment, yes, according to Steven Tufts, an associate professor at York University in Toronto who researches organized labour.

“When they reached a tentative agreement … the union agreed to cease rotating strikes, so everything now is moving,” Tufts told David Common, host of CBC Radio’s Metro Morning on Thursday.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean customers have confidence in the service or that the union won’t strike again. On the Canada Post subreddit, for instance, many of its more than 100,000 members have expressed frustration and stress about Canada Post’s service and reliability.

A number of business have also shifted to private couriers during the rotating strikes.

“We’re not going to breathe a sigh of relief until an agreement is ratified,” Christina Santini, the director of national affairs for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), told CBC News.

An October report from the CFIB noted that 13 per cent of Canada’s small and medium-sized businesses surveyed stopped using Canada Post at all after its 2024 strike, and 55 per cent said they used it less often.

“Retailers are telling us that service remains spotty and unreliable as this continues to drag on and on,” Santo Ligotti, the vice president of marketing and member services at the Retail Council of Canada told CBC News in an email statement.

“As a result, many have moved on to other providers to ensure Canadians get their deliveries in time for the holiday season.”

What are the options?

Canada Post did not respond to CBC’s request for tips to make sure your packages and cards arrive on time.

But several shipping information websites — including Easy Ship, Ship Station, and Shipping Chimp — say Canada Post’s cutoff dates for domestic package shipping for a regular parcel are Dec. 10 nationally, Dec. 16 regionally, and Dec. 19 locally.

It’s not clear where they got those dates, but they’re similar to previous years.

The dates are later if you pay for Xpresspost or Priority. As for lettermail and cards, you likely have some wiggle room up until around Dec. 19-23, according to Ship Station.

It can take up to 13 days for a package to travel between some provinces by regular mail, according to the Canada Post website.

For packages to the U.S., the Canada Post website says to expect anywhere from two to eight business days, depending on the type of delivery you purchase. International air mail can take anywhere from two to 12+ business day to arrive.

Canada Post recommends all letters to Santa be mailed by Dec. 8.

While there are other options for mailing packages — such as UPS and Purolator — it’s also important to note that some remote and Indigenous communities rely exclusively on Canada Post for its mail delivery.

“In many instances, even if you go with a private provider, it’s Canada Post that delivers the last mile,” said the CFIB’s Santini.

“So, if businesses do turn to Canada Post, it’s not because they’re reliable. It’s because they are cost-effective, and it’s they who provide service of where the package needs to go.”

Canada Post’s website notes any delivery times are subject to change without notice, and lists several causes beyond their reasonable control. These include “acts of God,” unanticipated surges in volume, and labour disruptions.