The Retail Council of Canada (RCC) has issued an urgent call for the immediate end to the nationwide Canada Post strike, warning that the disruption threatens Canadians and retailers across the country at a critical time for affordability and supply chains. The strike, launched by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) on September 25, 2025, comes after ongoing contract disputes and drastic reforms directed by the federal government.
The RCC contends that “this strike is very bad news for Canadians and for retailers. It will hurt millions of Canadians who rely on Canada Post every day, for deliveries of packages, flyers, and essential goods. At a time when Canadians are already under financial strain, we cannot afford this kind of disruption.”
Why Canada Post Workers Are on Strike
Negotiations between CUPW and Canada Post had been stalled for months. The union represents postal workers whose demands include increased wages, improved group benefits, paid leave, and greater protections against technological change. Canada Post, burdened with more than $3 billion in losses since 2018, argued that it cannot afford the union’s proposals and instead offered lower wage increases and moderate improvements to leave.nytimes+1.
The most recent trigger for the strike came after the Government of Canada announced sweeping reforms to Canada Post, including potentially ending door-to-door mail delivery and shuttering rural post offices. The CUPW described the reforms as an attack on our postal service and workers, and immediately launched a nationwide work stoppage. Service guarantees are suspended, and packages, flyers, and mail will not be delivered until further notice.
Immediate Impact on Canadians and Retail
This sudden escalation, following last week’s disruption of flyer delivery, is very bad news for Canadians and for retailers across the country. It will immediately impact millions of Canadians who work in retail, and it will disrupt deliveries of packages, flyers, and essential items that customers depend on every day, stated the RCC in its public response to the strike announcement.
Packages and parcels already in the mail network will be delayed indefinitely while Canada Post’s national operations are shut down. Some post offices are closed, and no new items are being accepted. Retailers worry about the compounding effect on holiday shopping, e-commerce, and vital medical or government assistance deliveries.
Despite the strike, Canada Post has agreed to continue delivery of socio-economic cheques and live animals for the duration of the disruption, but warns of a significant backlog and that a national strike of any length will impact service to Canadians well after the strike activity ends.
RCC’s Call for Immediate Action
The RCC is calling for all parties—the union, Canada Post, and the Government of Canada—to resolve the dispute urgently. Kim Furlong, President and CEO of Retail Council of Canada, asserted, We are calling on the union, Canada Post, and the federal government to resolve this immediately. She added, At a time when Canadians are already under financial strain, we cannot afford this kind of disruption. Canadians cannot afford for this work stoppage to continue.
The RCC’s position reflects anxiety across the entire retail, small business, and logistics sector, as well as among millions of Canadians awaiting important packages and documents. RCC argues that retailers and their customers rely on Canada Post as a critical partner for reaching households and communities.
Union and Government Perspectives
CUPW National President Jan Simpson criticized the government and the employer, stating, Canada Post prefers to talk with anyone but the Union. We are left wondering how Canada Post can claim to want to resolve our labour dispute when it refuses to communicate its intentions directly with us or at least through the federal mediators.” The union maintains it had been negotiating in good faith, reducing its initial wage demands and showing willingness to cooperate on key issues. However, it claims the government’s surprise reforms prompted this escalation.
Minister Joël Lightbound, responsible for public works and procurement, defended the reforms as necessary to save a financially troubled Crown corporation. Meanwhile, the government has not yet signaled an intention to legislate postal workers back to work, instead urging both sides to return to the bargaining table as soon as possible.
Broader Consequences
The fallout from the postal strike comes on top of ongoing inflation, rising costs for consumers, and recent supply chain volatility. Businesses that depend on Canada Post for e-commerce fulfillment, marketing flyer distribution, or reliable document delivery are at particular risk. The first postal strike in this dispute took place between November 15 and December 17, 2024, with rolling work stoppages ever since. The second, ongoing strike is already well into its second week with no resolution in sight.
Calls to Action
RCC has provided regular member updates, warning that “flyer disruption will hit Canadians’ pocketbooks” and encouraging all stakeholders to stay informed via official Canada Post negotiation updates and RCC newsletters. Consumers and businesses are urged to voice their concerns to government representatives and to make alternative plans for urgent document or package delivery while the labour dispute persists.
Conclusion
With the Canada Post strike ongoing and negotiations still deadlocked, calls for a swift resolution grow louder across the retail and consumer landscape. The RCC’s warning is stark: as affordability and supply chain pressures reach new highs, Canadians cannot afford for this work stoppage to continue. Retailers, consumers, and postal workers all await signs of progress at the bargaining table that might bring an end to this disruption.
