Small businesses in Alberta suffering due to ongoing Canada Post strike  

As the Canada Post strike nears the one-month mark, small businesses in Alberta are feeling the sting.

For Michelle Bishop, owner of Elle’s Boutique in St. Albert, Canada Post was the primary way she shipped out orders, accounting for about 80 per cent of her store’s business.

“We ship to Ontario, with Canada Post, we charge 15 dollars for shipping, typically to Ontario we’re looking at a 22 dollar charge, so we’re eating a little bit of that cost. But now, with the couriers, we shipped one out yesterday it was 50 dollars,” said Bishop.

“It’s been tough. It was a hard year in general, with the economy, and then this hitting us has been hard to deal with,” added Bishop.

The strike began November 15th.

Bishop says before that date, her Canada Post rep lead her to believe it would be a rolling strike, and they could continue to ship packages. So, they did. Now, there are about 50 parcels sitting with Canada Post that won’t reach customers in time for Christmas. Those customers want refunds, which bishop says is totally understandable, but not without consequences.

“And then who knows when they’re going to go back to work, and they’re going to ship those out to the customer. And then I’m going to have to pay the shipping label to get it back. And then I’m going to have Christmas gifts and Christmas party dresses when? In February, in March? So, the loss is astronomical,” said Bishop.

The timing of the strike is primarily what bishop takes issue with.

The fourth quarter of the year is when many retailers depend on profits to get them through the slower January and February months. Bishop says that her business is in survival mode and brings into question whether or not she’ll ever return to shipping with Canada Post.

“I would love to just say yeah, they’re done, I won’t work with them again, just because of the strike happening right now. I understand that everybody has the right to strike, and I get what they’re trying to do, but this is just drowning small businesses. It’s not about the family member not getting their Christmas card, it’s about the literal small business going under,” said Bishop.

On Wednesday morning, Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade, Matt Jones issued a statement, calling on the federal government to use every tool at its disposal to end the Canada post strike, citing damage to small businesses and charities across Alberta.

Bishop echoes that sentiment, saying she’s frustrated that when Canada Post went on strike, the federal government stepped in fairly quickly to avoid  damage to big corporations.

However, it seems that when small businesses are affected, nothing is being done. She also adds that even if Canada Post workers went back to work within an hour, it’s simply too late for the Christmas season, and many businesses will see the effects of this well into the new year.