The Canadian Union of Postal Workers has initiated a nationwide strike hours after the federal government announced plans to permanently end door-to-door letter mail in the next decade.
As a result, the downtown Yellowknife post office is closed, with a sign on the front door reading: “On strike.”
There’s no indication of when that will change. A strike could continue indefinitely.
On Thursday afternoon, Joël Lightbound – Canada’s minister of government transformation, public services and procurement – said Canada Post is in an “existential crisis,” warning it is effectively insolvent and repeated bailouts are not a long-term solution.
In a statement, Lightbound noted the postal service has lost more than $5 billion since 2018 – including $1 billion in 2024 and a projected $1.5 billion this year. He said the corporation is currently losing about $10 million every day despite a $1-billion federal bailout earlier this year.
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An Industrial Inquiry Commission, headed by William Kaplan, released a report on May 15 detailing the challenges facing Canada Post and offering recommendations.
Changes proposed include lifting a moratorium on rural post office closures, modernizing and streamlining the process for postage rate increases, and changes in delivery standards.
Moreover, daily door-to-door delivery for residential letters would be replaced with community mailboxes – a change that has already taken place for many Canadians, including northern communities.
Changes ‘will only undermine public service’
The CUPW called the announcement “an outrage,” stating in a news release that Lightbound gave the union no indication of the changes when leadership met with him last week.
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“The minister said he had the ‘utmost respect’ for postal workers. This is no way to show it,” the union wrote in its response. “The minister emphasized the importance to serve all Canadians, but these recommendations will only undermine public service. We have no details on how any of them will be implemented.”
According to CUPW, the changes to delivery standards could affect mail volumes and public confidence in the service, while it said lifting the moratorium on rural post office closures undermines universal access.
The union said the measures could result in major job losses and accused Lightbound of dodging questions on the issue.
“In accepting the Kaplan report, the government has completely rejected the need to diversify revenue streams and expand services, accepting instead Canada Post’s requests for cuts,” CUPW’s statement continued.
“The reality has changed over the last 10 years,” Lightbound said in a press conference.
“It’s changed a lot over the last five years. It’s changed in many ways. First, the financial situation of Canada Post has changed drastically. While it was profitable in 2015, it is clearly no longer viable financially.
“The second thing is that the reality has changed in terms of the number of letters we’re getting, how we’re using Canada Post services. So, I think there’s an understanding amongst Canadians that something needs to happen if we want to preserve that institution. I think what we’re doing today is the start of this transformation. The goal ultimately is to save Canada Post.”
‘Canadians cannot continue to pay more’
Canada Post said it welcomed the federal government’s announcement on door-to-door mail and other services.
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The organization’s management said those changes would “allow our country’s national postal service to chart a strong, financially sustainable path forward that supports the changing needs of Canadians.”
That statement added: “In mid-2025, with losses mounting, Canada Post began receiving cash injections from the Government of Canada to ensure the company could continue operating.
“Without significant changes, these losses will continue and will be borne by taxpayers, which is not sustainable. Canadians cannot continue to pay more through their taxes for a service they use less and less.”
The resumption of strike action on Thursday is understood to be legal as the CUPW had been performing forms of labour action – such as overtime bans and work-to-rule – for months.
CUPW had issued 72-hour strike notice in May but this marks the first point at which that has escalated to full-blown strike action since late last year.
Then, a month-long strike began in November and ended with a Canada Industrial Relations Board hearing that ordered employees back to work.
