Ottawa Orders Major Reforms at Canada Post

The federal government ordered Canada Post to end most door-to-door delivery and transition about four million addresses to community mailboxes, a change scheduled over the next nine years but mostly implemented within three to four years, while also slowing mail frequency and closing some post offices. Ottawa said Canada Post is “effectively insolvent,” having lost roughly C$5 billion since 2018, required a one-time emergency loan of about C$700–720 million, and is losing millions per day, prompting urgent intervention. The government adopted many recommendations from mediator William Kaplan and the Industrial Inquiry Commission, asked Canada Post for an implementation plan within 45 days, and said there would be exceptions and options for seniors and people with mobility issues. Officials project roughly C$400 million in annual savings but acknowledge the measures will likely cause significant layoffs and a restructured corporate model. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers, representing about 55,000 workers, announced an immediate nationwide strike in response, escalating a long-running labour dispute.