Canada Post backlog stalls holiday deliveries

Canada Post is still warning it might not get holiday packages delivered on time, as the lingering effects of the recent rotating strikes continue to slow its system.

The service's spokesperson, Jon Hamilton, said on CBC Radio's All In A Day that there are a lot of parcels waiting to be delivered.

"We are facing a backlog of about six million parcels as of today," he said Friday afternoon. 

Ongoing impact 

The postal union held rotating regional strikes across the country last month before being legislated back to work. Since the strike officially ended, protests have taken place outside some Canada Post facilities.

Hamilton said the impact of those strikes, combined with the busy holiday season, means they can't guarantee the delivery times they normally do.

He said they are doing their best to get as many items as possible through the system.  

"We have about 4,000 extra staff across the country and about 2,000 extra vehicles," he said.

Foreign deliveries 

Canada Post briefly halted incoming deliveries from foreign postal companies, although Hamilton said that embargo is now lifted.

But he cautioned that overseas items might still take longer to arrive than usual.

The system is just more unpredictable than usual, Hamilton said, which is why they can't guarantee delivery times. 

But one of Canada Post's services is completely unaffected: letters to Santa are still arriving, Hamilton said, and responses should arrive for any letters sent before Dec. 10.

"Santa is counting on us, as he has for 30-plus years."