Will holiday cards and packages make it on time for Christmas amid postal strike?

The countdown to Christmas continues, but experts say you shouldn’t depend on Canada Post to get your cards and gifts to their destination on time, even if the strike ends now.

Experts predict it will take time to bounce back from the backlog.

“If Canada Post could work at twice the normal speed, which is a big assumption, if we've been on strike for four weeks, I guess it'll take four weeks at least to resolve this, to clear the backlog,” said Jim Bookbinder, a management sciences professor at the University of Waterloo.

Some who typically rely on Canada Post admitted they lost hope weeks ago.

“I have something sitting at Canada Post that I can't pick up right now, so it is frustrating,” said one.

Small businesses have also been playing the waiting game.

“We currently have somebody’s order sitting in limbo somewhere between here and Kingston as well,” said Scott Williard, the general manager at Block Three Brewing in St. Jacobs.

Williard often ships out boxes across the province but had to make the tough call this week to pause shipments outside the region.

“On an average week, I'd say we shipped maybe five to eight boxes outside of the region, which is going to be quite a bit for us,” he explained. “We are a small craft brewery, and every penny counts for us.”

The bar at Block Three Brewing in St. Jacobs, Ont. on Dec. 12, 2024. (Heather Senoran/CTV News)

The company is still shipping locally but has lost some holiday business from out-of-town orders.

“With some of these orders that we did take, that we've had to refund, the customers were a little upset, I think, because they were Christmas presents for others that may not have ever had our beer,” Williard said.

Other couriers are charging higher rates due to the growing demand.

Williard said he doesn’t want customers to have to fork out more money to make up for it -- another reason why they’ve had to pivot.

“I think frustration is setting in a little bit, but we do support the Canada Post workers, there's no doubt about that,” he added.

Some shoppers said the strike has left a bad taste in their mouth and they might think twice before choosing Canada Post again in the future.

“It does influence my choices as a consumer now, just knowing deadlines, timelines and my personal schedule,” said one resident.

Bookbinder suggests shoppers should opt for electronic cards and online gift cards instead of physical ones.

“There’s also the good old-fashioned telephone,” Bookbinder joked.