What you need to know about your mail during the Canada Post strike

Canada Post has stopped delivering mail across the country as of Friday because tens of thousands of postal workers are on strike over wages, working conditions and other issues. The shutdown will affect millions of Canadians and businesses nationwide, just as the busy holiday season is getting underway.

Here's what you need to know.

Canada Post isn't processing or delivering any mail and parcels as long as the strike lasts. Some post offices will also be closed. For items that are already in the mail, service guarantees could be affected.

It "may take some time" for mail service to return to normal even after the strike ends, according to a statement from the corporation.

No. Canada Post has said it isn't accepting new items until the national disruption is over.

Jim Bookbinder, a management sciences professor at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, said an alternative courier service could be worth considering if you need to have an important piece of mail delivered on time — or ensure a gift arrives in time for the holidays.

 Purolator is a subsidiary of Canada Post. The union for Purolator workers has said staff will not handle mail that originated with Canada Post in an act of solidarity.

FedEx deliveries aren't affected by the strike. A company statement said there is a "contingency plan in place" to manage volume while Canada Post is out of commission.

CBC News has contacted UPS Canada for information on its service. 

They will be hit particularly hard. Rural and remote communities across the country rely solely on Canada Post for deliveries because many private, for-profit courier companies don't spend the money to fully service those areas.

In some cases, couriers sent mail part of the way but it's Canada Post that carries the package for the last few kilometres.

Canada Post and the union have agreed to continue delivering government benefit cheques — including Old Age Security, the Canada Child Benefit and the Canada Pension Plan — during the labour disruption. A statement said seniors and others who rely on the mail service will still receive timely financial assistance. 

The corporation said all November cheques should be delivered on Wednesday, Nov. 20. December cheques would arrive on Wednesday, Dec. 18.

Service Canada has urged Canadians to set up online accounts and direct deposits so they can receive their benefits without delay. The government department has more information here on which services may or may not be affected by the strike.