Local business and residents react to Canada Post strike

Canada Post workers officially on strike Strike action has begun for Canada Post workers. Heather Senoran takes a look at the impact it will have in Waterloo Region.

Small local businesses are feeling the impact of the Canada Post strike.

Some believe it is inconveniently timed as the holiday season is often the busiest.

Tiu Tabak, owner of the online store Kinsfolk Shop, mailed out about 15 packages in the last week but they’re now stuck in limbo.

“If [a package is] going out to rural B.C. it might take even longer. And I sent them out a while ago, but I don't know if they'll make it at this point,” Tabak told CTV News.

Tabak’s store is online only. She sells anything from puzzles to household items to stationary.

Tabak said she tried to switch to a different delivery service when news of the looming strike got out, but she said it’s not possible for every customer.

“A lot of my customers, a lot of regular customers, they ship to P.O. boxes and Canada Post is the only place that will ship to P.O. boxes,” she said.

She said her customers come first but with a strike, customer retention isn’t guaranteed.

“If they're not happy, they don't get their package, it reflects poorly on me and then they might not feel confident shopping with me anymore. [It] makes me pretty anxious,” Tabak said.

Residents in the region weren’t shy to voice their opinions on the strike.

“I'm quite disgusted with the whole thing, I just think it's very inconvenient,” said Cambridge resident Monica Himmelman.

“Anyone [who] wants to send out any Christmas cards, that's going to be difficult. Plus, we're waiting for our credit card to come in the mail,” said Violet Boutiler, Kitchener resident.

Some said they will have to get creative and start hand delivering bills.

John, a Kitchener resident, said he drove from Ayr to Waterloo Region headquarters and wasn’t happy about it.

“I was going to mail a cheque to the Region of Waterloo. But now that I found out the postal strike is on, I took it over there and deposited it myself,” he said.

For those looking to pay bills like property taxes, utility bills or parking tickets, the cities in the region and surrounding areas put out statements remind the public due dates haven’t changed because of the strike.

They said it is up to residents to pay them on time either in-person or online.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers said approximately 55,000 members are striking. The union said they are fighting for better wages, safer working conditions and other improvements. They say negotiations have been going on for nearly a year.

Locally, union members could be seen in Cambridge on Friday, holding signs reading, 'Postal workers on strike.'