Shipping Logistics Ecommerce

Canada Post Strike: Shipping Alternatives

By Sharon Nath · October 20, 2026

How to keep shipping during a Canada Post strike: 7 carrier alternatives, a contingency checklist, and how to handle returns and customer updates.

Canada Post handles a large share of Canadian ecommerce parcels, especially lightweight and rural shipments. When it stops, many small and mid-size brands find they have no second carrier ready.

Recent history shows this is not a one-off. A nationwide strike in late 2024 shut down most of the network for about a month during peak season, and there was further strike action in 2025. Any brand that ships in Canada should treat a postal disruption as a planned scenario, not an emergency.

7 Shipping Alternatives to Canada Post

| Option | Best for | Things to know | |---|---|---| | Purolator | Domestic parcels, business and residential | Majority-owned by Canada Post but runs separately; capacity can tighten during strikes | | UPS | Domestic and cross-border, reliable tracking | Residential and remote-area surcharges can be significant | | FedEx | Domestic and international, express options | Strong for time-sensitive orders; compare ground versus express carefully | | Canpar | Business-to-business and ground parcels | Often competitive for heavier parcels on major routes | | DHL Express | International shipments | Express-focused; usually higher cost for domestic use | | Intelcom and regional couriers | Urban last-mile delivery | Good coverage in large cities, limited rural reach | | Chit Chats or Stallion Express | Low-cost shipping to the US | Consolidators with drop-off locations; check service areas |

No single alternative matches Canada Post's rural coverage at its price. Most brands need two: a national carrier for broad coverage and a cheaper option for the lanes they ship most.

Before a Strike: A Contingency Checklist

1. Open at least one backup carrier account now. Carriers often pause new accounts when volume surges during a strike.
2. Test labels and pickups with a small batch so the switch is not your first shipment.
3. Map your rural and remote orders. These are the hardest to move and often carry the largest surcharges with private carriers.
4. Decide your pricing rule. Will you absorb the higher cost, pass it on, or offer a slower option?
5. Prepare customer messages for checkout, order confirmation and support replies.
6. Update your returns setup so return labels can switch carrier quickly.

During a Strike: What to Do

• Stop handing parcels to Canada Post as soon as a strike is confirmed. Parcels already in the network are usually held until work resumes.
• Show the change at checkout. Tell customers which carrier you are using and any change to delivery times.
• Rate-shop each shipment. With prices moving fast, choosing the cheapest carrier per lane makes a real difference. A multi-carrier tool such as EcoShip lets you compare connected carriers and print labels in one place.
• Send proactive tracking updates so customers do not have to ask. A branded order tracking page cuts "where is my order" tickets when deliveries slow down.
• Extend return windows for affected orders and avoid refund rules that depend on a carrier scan that may never come.

Handling Returns When the Post Is Down

Returns are often forgotten in strike planning. Customers holding a Canada Post prepaid label cannot use it. A practical approach:

1. Switch new return labels to an operating carrier.
2. Email customers who already have a Canada Post label and offer a replacement.
3. Offer an exchange or store credit where possible, which keeps the revenue and reduces how many parcels need to travel.
4. Pause automatic refund triggers that wait for a carrier scan.

A returns system such as EcoReturns with multi-carrier labels makes these settings changes instead of manual work.

:::cta Keep shipping when one carrier stops. See how EcoShip compares carriers and prints labels in one place.

After the Strike: Keep the Backup

When Canada Post resumes, backlogs can take weeks to clear. Keep your backup carrier active through that period, then keep it on for the lanes where it proved cheaper or faster. A permanent two-carrier setup is the simplest protection against the next disruption, and it usually lowers your average shipping cost as well. For a deeper look at building a carrier mix, see our guide to multi-carrier shipping.