OTTAWA — Canada Post workers walked off the job Thursday in what their union called a nationwide strike, hours after the federal government unveiled sweeping changes to the postal system, including the phase-out of home mail delivery.
“In response to the government’s attack on our postal service and workers, effective immediately, all CUPW members at Canada Post are on a nationwide strike,” the Canadian Union of Postal Workers announced.
Earlier in the day, Procurement Minister Joël Lightbound said that nearly all Canadians will lose door-to-door service within the next decade as the government lifts a long-standing moratorium on community mailbox conversions. Roughly four million households that still receive door-to-door delivery will be transitioned to communal boxes.
The government also moved to end a 1994 moratorium on closing rural post offices, potentially affecting about 4,000 locations. Officials argued that shutting some outlets in areas that are no longer rural will reduce duplication and improve efficiency.
The strike revives tensions between Canada Post and CUPW, which last clashed in November during a walkout that disrupted Christmas shopping and cost charities an estimated $300 million in lost donations. Businesses and government offices scrambled to find alternatives for time-sensitive deliveries.
Negotiations on a new contract broke down in March, leaving the dispute unresolved. With the government now charting a leaner future for Canada Post, the union is escalating its fight — setting the stage for a showdown that could once again affect households and businesses nationwide.