Stack of troubles keep mail backed up at distribution centres
‘An incredible time’ brings serious delays
Canada Post employees are asking for patience, and say they are doing everything they can to deal with a large backlog of parcels, packages, postcards and letters that have accumulated at distribution centres and other facilities over the past couple of months.
A slew of problems — ranging from winter storms, heavy volume over the holiday season and the backlog generated by the destruction of transportation infrastructure late last year — combined with continued pandemic fallout has resulted in serious delays in mail delivery.
“All we can say to customers and residents across the city is we are there to deliver, we are doing our best to deliver,” said Norma Kimball, secretary-treasurer of Local 850 of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers.
“We have been dealing with an incredible time, an unprecedented time.”
The situation worsened on Thursday when another dump of snow resulted in Canada Post suspending mail delivery on Vancouver Island.
Canada Post said it issued a red delivery service alert for the Island, Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley due to winter storm conditions, meaning the corporation will not send delivery agents out or is recalling them.
Delivery is expected to resume once conditions improve.
Several Canada Post customers have noted tracking information for packages they are expecting show they have been hung up in distribution centres for days, and in some rare cases for weeks.
Kimball, who works at the Glanford distribution centre, said it’s nothing Canada Post has done, it’s just that a series of events have combined to stack up the mail.
“We are working weekends now to get parcels out and to get the mail moving again,” she said.
There has been heavier use of mail and delivery services during the pandemic and Kimball said when you factor in storms, the washing out of roads on the mainland and the Malahat Drive on the Island, and a depleted workforce, a backlog was inevitable.
“COVID-19 has depleted our workforce by those who are either off due to COVID or quarantined,” she said, adding the numbers were also reduced when the federal government implemented a vaccination mandate.
“What we would request and ask of our customers is to be patient,” Kimball said.
“We are doing all that we can do. We’re working around the clock to get things done, but always adhering to our health and safety first, as everyone should.”
Canada Post said the most recent red alert was due to road conditions after the snowfall.
“Most times, especially during the winter, it’s because roads and sidewalks are difficult to impossible to manoeuvre through,” said Canada Post spokeswoman Valérie Chartrand.
“We also take our direction from local authorities and weather specialists if they are expecting conditions to be severe, and we also get feedback from our employees as well.”
Canada Post said it is encouraging customers to clear ice and snow from walkways, stairs and driveways to ensure safe access to the front door for mail carriers when service resumes.