- Canada Post is struggling with declining letter mail volumes, facing potential financial collapse.
- Experts suggest shifting focus to parcel delivery and increasing competitiveness with other couriers.
- Ongoing strike and financial strain threaten service delays, including passport deliveries.
Canada Post is in deep financial trouble, with experts warning that without a major transformation, it risks going out of business. Ian Lee, a professor at Carleton University, suggests the Crown corporation needs to pivot from letter mail to parcel delivery to remain viable.
He points out that the decline in traditional mail volumes—down from 5.5 billion items annually to 2 billion—has already strained its finances, and Canada Post missed key opportunities to capitalize on the growing parcel market over the last decade.
Canada Post’s Survival in Doubt Amid Declining Mail and Growing Financial Losses
Despite having a parcel delivery operation, Canada Post has failed to leverage its potential in the e-commerce sector, allowing competitors to gain ground. Lee argues that the organization’s reluctance to embrace change over the past decade has led it to this critical juncture, where its survival is in question. He emphasizes that without significant restructuring, the Crown corporation will continue to lose money, possibly reaching a point where it cannot recover.
The ongoing strike by Canada Post workers is exacerbating the situation, disrupting services and delaying important mail, such as passports. This strike is a result of ongoing negotiations between the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) and Canada Post over wages, working conditions, and pension benefits.
The corporation has made proposals to address these concerns, including offering wage increases and preserving pension benefits, but experts warn that these measures alone will not solve the deeper issues.
If Canada Post is to survive, it will need to rethink its entire business model. This includes embracing more competitive delivery options, such as expanding parcel deliveries to seven days a week, and possibly automating operations. Business analysts like Bruce Winder suggest that without these changes, the Crown corporation faces a bleak future, with layoffs and downsizing likely on the horizon.
Canada Post is at a crossroads, with its long-term viability dependent on adapting to the changing market. If it fails to shift focus to parcel services and streamline operations, its future remains uncertain.
“They squandered 10 years of opportunity from 2015 until now,” says Ian Lee, reflecting on Canada Post’s failure to transform its business model in response to e-commerce growth, ultimately leading to its financial struggles.
