Tens of thousands of passports are stuck waiting to be mailed as the nationwide Canada Post strike continues.
Employment and Social Development Canada told Global News that as of Tuesday, Service Canada is holding approximately 85,000 passports that were printed and ready to be mailed.
“In anticipation of a potential work disruption, Service Canada has temporarily suspended shipping passport packages after November 8, 2024,” said ESDC spokesperson Maja Stefanovska.
“By holding residential mail for several days before a work stoppage, Service Canada has reduced the risk of passports being held at Canada Post distribution centres.”
Passports will be mailed once the strike ends and regular mail service resumes.
More than 55,000 Canada Post workers went on strike on Friday, halting mail and parcel services across the country. Some post offices have also been closed amid the labor action.
The Crown and the Canadian Postal Workers Union are holding talks this week with a special mediator, appointed by the federal government.
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A Canada Post spokesperson told The Canadian Press on Tuesday that the two sides were able to make “some progress” on minor issues, but “there is still a long way to go.”
The union is asking for a cumulative pay increase of 24 per cent over four years, while Canada Post has offered an 11.5 per cent increase.
Other sticking points include job security, benefits and contract work for weekend package delivery.
The postal strike, now in progress for seven days, is negatively impacting small businesses, charities and remote communities, Canada Post says.
Service Canada has warned that postal correspondence for some programs and services may be affected due to the Canada Post strike. This includes the passport program, employment insurance benefits, apprenticeships, and mail-in social security numbers.
“Canadians who have applied for a new passport and opted to obtain it by mail will be sent it as soon as mail service resumes.” Service Canada says on its website
Those who urgently need their passport can contact the passport program at 1-800-567-6868 or visit a Service Canada center and request that your passport be transferred to a location that offers pick-up service.
“Canadians who will be traveling in the next 6 weeks should apply for their passport as soon as possible at a Service Canada service point that offers 10 business day service to avoid mail delays,” says Service Canada.
Anyone traveling after more than six weeks can submit their request by courier or in person at a Service Canada location that offers service for 20 business days.
“If a customer mailed in their passport application just before the start of the Canada Post labor dispute, Service Canada may not have received the application,” said ESDC’s Stefanovska.
“In these cases, we will not be able to process the request until mail service resumes.”
– with files from The Canadian Press
© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
