B.C. charities worried Canada Post strike will affect fundraising efforts

A mail box is seen outside a Canada Post office in Halifax on Wednesday, July 6, 2016. (Darren Calabrese / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Some B.C. charities and not-for-profits said they are worried the Canada Post strike will jeopardize their year-end fundraising efforts.

Nicole Mucci, a spokeswoman for Union Gospel Mission in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, said 50 per cent of the organization's revenue normally comes between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and a mail strike at this time of the year is "detrimental" since so many donations come in the mail.

Mucci said the Mission supports the postal workers' fight and hopes there will be a resolution soon, and in the meantime they are exploring other ways to connect with donors.

“Our team is having to revisit how they're going to send out certain things or how they're going to connect with our donors, just because we do send out quite a bit of mail at this time of year,” said Mucci.

Workers at Canada Post went on strike Friday after failing to reach a negotiated agreement with their employer.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers said approximately 55,000 workers are striking, claiming little progress has been made in the bargaining process.

Meanwhile, Canada Post said it's "disappointed" with the decision, which will "have a significant and immediate affect millions of Canadians, small businesses and charities who count on Canada Post during the busy holiday season."

Gregory Ould, co-founder of Vancouver-based charity Blanket BC Society, said his organization counts on large donations through the mail from a Canadian mattress company to help people in the winter, and he's worried the strike will affect the families, refugees and homeless people the organization serves.

Ould said the society usually distributes about 5,000 to 8,000 blankets between this time of the year and December, and if the strike drags on, it will affect the amount of blankets they can distribute this winter.

Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon said in a post on X, previously known as Twitter, that he has formally appointed Peter Simpson, director general of the federal mediation and conciliation services, as a special mediator to support negotiations between the two parties.

Canadians need Canada Post and the union to reach an agreement and the government is “making sure that these two groups have everything they need to reach a deal," he said in his post on Thursday.

As Canadians are exploring other ways to get their holiday gifts shipped, both Ould and Mucci are appealing for people not to forget about donating amid the strike.

Mucci said it would be great if people could consider going online to make donations.  

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 17, 2024.