The average number of letters people receive has decreased significantly over the years – down to just two per week compared to seven per week in 2006, according to Canada Post.
However, when you receive an envelope, it’s probably for a good reason: a government notice, a banking update, or another crucial missive that can’t be transmitted online.
The current postal strike highlights how important that mail can be, said Marvin Ryder, a professor at the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University in Hamilton.
“People forgot,” Ryder suggested of the key role snail mail plays.
“They just forgot about things like renewing your passport. There are more than 80,000 passports waiting in Mississauga. “They’re already printed, they’re ready to ship, but we deliver them by post.”
Now, three weeks later, the effects of the strike are hard to ignore. These are some of the things affected by the mail closure:
Canadians waiting for government documents, such as passports and health cards, may experience delays.
The federal government says those who didn’t pay more to pick up their passports will be affected. Those who urgently need the document are advised to call Service Canada or visit in person to request that the passport be available for pickup.
In Ontario, the government is telling people waiting to renew a health card that they can receive emergency medical care at a hospital or clinic.
It also says people should keep their receipt as temporary proof that they qualify for provincial health insurance, which they can use with their expired health card.
Some driver’s license renewal notices have also not been delivered, so drivers may not know that their permit has expired.
Receive weekly health news
Receive the latest medical news and health information every Sunday.
The Northumberland Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says “this presents not only a legal issue but also a significant safety concern” and reminds drivers to check expiration dates and raise awareness.
“Older drivers, particularly those over the age of 80, may already face mobility and information access challenges,” Northumberland OPP said in a news release. “Without proper reminders, some seniors may inadvertently continue to drive with expired licenses, creating risks for themselves and others on the road.”
Provinces that send home cancer screening kits to their residents are warning people not to mail them during the strike.
That includes Ontario residents who receive a fecal immunochemical test (FIT) kit in the mail to detect colorectal cancer. Typically, recipients mailed their stool sample to a lab. Now, the province is telling people to hand in their sample in person.
In British Columbia, much of the cervical self-assessment process has been put on hold. This test, which involves taking a sample from the vagina, detects HPV, the virus that causes cervical cancer. If the sample does not reveal HPV, the patient can forgo a Pap test.
The province says it will not mail kits during the Canada Post strike, and those who have them should not complete them until the work stoppage ends.
Residents who want a kit can order it now, but it will not be shipped until Canada Post resumes service.
Both provinces say residents will receive completed test results, but not directly by mail. Results will be shared with patients’ primary care provider.
Some charities are reporting a drop in donations which they attribute to the strike.
In Vancouver, VGH and the UBC Hospital Foundation say their annual Millionaire Lottery is taking a hit amid labor action. The campaign raises money for research and medical equipment, supporting Vancouver General Hospital, UBC Hospital and other health services.
Like many charities, it relies on mail campaigns to spread the word. But with the strike in force, the charity has been unable to distribute lottery leaflets, disrupting ticket sales.
The Toronto Zoo’s Wildlife Conservancy said it’s also feeling the pressure.
“Like many nonprofits across the country, most of our donations arrive at the end of the year, many of them by mail,” Executive Director Kathy Koch said in an email.
This year’s donations are about 40 percent lower than the same time last year, Koch said, although it is unclear to what extent that is related to the mail strike.
Both organizations urge people to donate online.
In some cases, Canada Post delivers library materials directly to patrons, but that is now on hold.
The same is true for interlibrary loan services facilitated by the Canadian Library Materials Service, which obtains a reduced rate for sending materials to registered public libraries, academic libraries and other libraries operated by non-profit organizations.
Additionally, the Center for Equal Library Access is not providing physical materials during the strike.
The organization provides library materials to people with a physical, visual, or learning disability that prevents them from reading conventional print texts.
While digital services are not affected, it has suspended the production and distribution of audiobook CDs, raised braille and printed braille until the strike ends.
