Commonwealth_ Purolator and UPS have recently paused shipments from certain courier companies as they work to manage a surge in deliveries caused by the Canada Post strike. This situation has led to significant backlogs when the holiday shipping season is at its peak, causing widespread disruption across the logistics network. In an emailed statement, Purolator acknowledged that their network is facing service disruptions due to severe weather and an unprecedented rise in shipment volumes. As a result, the company has temporarily frozen services for some partners to prioritize critical shipments and ensure the safety of their employees. This decision highlights the strain placed on the logistics industry by the ongoing Canada Post work stoppage, which has had a cascading impact on other carriers.
The impact has also been severe on alternative couriers like eShipper and ShipTime, who serve as intermediaries for smaller e-commerce businesses by bundling packages to secure lower shipping rates. These companies rely on partnerships with major carriers such as Purolator and UPS to deliver packages on behalf of their clients. However, these carriers have temporarily prohibited eShipper from using them, affecting a substantial portion of its 20,000+ clients.
The Canadian Press obtained a notice from eShipper informing clients that Purolator and UPS would not process or move shipments for 48 hours starting on Wednesday. Simon Paquin, the chief operating officer of eShipper, expressed frustration over the situation. “This is insane and infuriating for everybody that doesn’t even use Canada Post,” he said, emphasizing the ripple effects of the strike on businesses that depend on reliable shipping options.
One of the businesses caught in this logistical turmoil is Felix & Norton, a bakery that relies heavily on shipping its products rather than selling them in-store. Paquin explained that the disruption has created a significant bottleneck. “Big carriers like Purolator, UPS, FedEx, Canpar, and DHL simply aren’t equipped to handle the overflow caused by the Canada Post strike,” he noted. “They’re overloaded, I’m hearing, until after the holidays. We can’t even process orders anymore because there’s no shipping available.”
The bakery is now scrambling to find alternative delivery methods. Last-mile carriers, which typically handle deliveries from shipping hubs to customers’ doorsteps, are being explored for local deliveries within cities like Montreal and Toronto. However, these solutions are not viable for remote locations. “If you’ve got to deliver something to the north of Quebec, you just can’t anymore. I will lose a lot of business for sure,” said Paquin.
The challenges faced by businesses like Felix & Norton underscore the far-reaching consequences of the Canada Post strike. The work stoppage, which has been ongoing for three weeks, involves more than 55,000 postal employees represented by their union. Canada Post stated on Thursday that it is reviewing new counter-proposals submitted by the union as part of ongoing negotiations.
Despite these efforts, the strike’s impact continues to ripple through the logistics and retail sectors. Increased holiday shipping demands and reduced carrier capacity have resulted in a significant disruption. Businesses that depend on timely deliveries are bearing the brunt of the delays, with some forced to suspend operations or find costly workarounds to meet customer expectations.
In addition to the immediate logistical challenges, the situation raises questions about the resilience of the shipping industry during peak periods. While major carriers have attempted to scale up operations to fill the void left by Canada Post, their networks remain stretched thin. This highlights the need for greater adaptability and capacity planning in the face of unforeseen disruptions, particularly during critical times like the holiday season.
