Small businesses brace for possible Canada Post strike

As another Canada Post strike looms, many small businesses are already making adjustments—some reluctantly—to avoid getting caught in delivery disruptions.

Louis-Philippe Gauthier, Atlantic vice-president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), says the situation feels all too familiar.

“Essentially, it’s almost a case of déjà vu,” Gauthier said in an interview. “During the 32-day strike around the holiday season, we estimate over a billion dollars in lost sales or added costs for small businesses.”

He says the possibility of further disruptions comes at a time when consumer spending is already softening, and many business owners are still absorbing costs that have built up over the past two years.

CFIB surveys show nearly 80 percent of small businesses still rely on Canada Post—whether for sending out products, invoices, or receiving payments.

“For a lot of small businesses, Canada Post remains the most affordable way to move goods and paperwork,” said Gauthier. “Alternatives exist, but they’re often more expensive—and those extra costs either eat into margins or get passed on to customers.”

Many companies, especially those burned during the last strike, have already started switching to couriers or private mail services. But Gauthier says not all businesses are ready, and added costs are difficult to absorb in a slowing economy.

He’s calling on the federal government to step in quickly if a strike happens—either through legislation or direct involvement in negotiations.

The uncertainty comes just days after an Industrial Inquiry Commission report laid out structural and financial challenges at Canada Post, and recommended a major overhaul of the Crown corporation. Gauthier says that kind of reform is long overdue.