Canada Post faces mixed reactions in rural Alberta

Story written by: Aldin Avdic

Visuals done by: Aldin Avdic

Canada Post faces mixed reactions in rural Alberta

Canada Post is reporting a $41 million loss before tax in its first quarter in 2025.

For some residents in rural Alberta, there was no surprise for the heavily indebted corporation—instead, many wonder what will become of Canada’s postal service.

“It's sad that our country can’t run a postal service, but I also feel that the workers are demanding a lot. This is a job you can get out of high school and they are demanding health benefits and all sorts of things,” said Nicole Martin.

Martin is one of 16 independent artists who works at The Painted Moose, located in Bragg Creek, where she sells jewelry items. During the November to December 2024 postal workers strike, Martin was forced to find alternative mail services that increased her business expenses.

“I’ve always used Canada Post because it is the most affordable, but I did find other ways. I started using Sendall courier. It’s quite comparable to Canada Post but for anything small and light, that's like a $2.10 stamp with Canada post, and then it goes up to like 11 or 12 bucks with ( Sendall) couriers,” said Martin.

Even post strike, Martin continues to use Sendall because of its reliable service, especially for shipping products to the U.S.

“They pick up at my house, same prices I am paying at Canada post, but I don’t have to stand in line at Canada Post.”

In the same Canada Post news release, the company addressed these concerns, stating that throughout the first quarter of 2025, the impacts of the 2024 labour disruption continue to leave an impact.

“Many customers that had turned to other carriers for their shipments have not yet returned to Canada Post – a financial impact that is expected to last well into 2025 and beyond,” the release read.

Now the reported loss of $41 million would make this the sixth year of conservative annual loss for the company.

In total, the corporation has lost more than $3.8 billion before taxes between the years of 2018 to 2024.

The federal government announced in early 2025 it would give the corporation $1.034 billion of repayable funding during the government’s fiscal year ending March 31, 2026.

According to the news release, the funding will help allow the company to remain open.

While Martin can understand both sides, workers wanting a fair deal and the company's response to it, Martin believes the main issue is that the workers are asking for unreasonable demands

Last year's strikes, initiated by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, was a renewed strike action after no successful negotiations were made in 2023.

The demands included wage increase in line with inflation, improved benefits and protection against technology changes.

Dressed up to look like a western building, Olive and Finch is a shop in High river that sells quirky and unique gifts, comparable to the Steeling Home located on Calgary's 17th Ave.

Assistant Manager Shelby lowena held positive views on Canada Post and the worker strikes.

“At least for us, we were kind of rooting for them to get their demands met. I know they work really hard. We were hoping there would be a resolution but there wasn't, which was a bummer.”

Lowena said Olive and Finch has been using Canada post for its deliveries and shipping.

The strikes that occurred last year didn't affect them that much. But with the uncertainty of a possible strike that could happen anytime in the future, Lowena was unsure how it could affect the business.

“It gets a little bit frustrating now at this point. Not knowing what’s going to happen and not knowing if it's going to affect us as a business as well,” she said.

Off a side road in Black Diamond you’ll come across a small pet store with products that reach to the ceiling. Tim Tomayer, the owner of Chinook Windz Healthy Pet & Horse Supplies, greets you while he’s standing up on his foot massager machine.

“I know the post office is incredibly unprofitable. I don’t know how to fix that because people don’t want to pay $34 to mail a letter,” he said

According to the Canada Post website the standard cost of a letter is $1.44. Cost is generated by weight.

Tomayer has mixed feelings about the future of Canada Post. While more services are going digital, like mail, bills and letters, he thinks there is still a need for the services.

“The small communities need the post office. We’re an older community here, a lot of retired people rely on the post office and don’t like the post office being closed for an extended time.”

While it didn’t affect his business, Tomayer noted that removing postal services could affect residents' livelihood—such as ordering a replacement for a broken item.

If the post office in Black Diamond were to close, the next nearest post office to the residents of Black Diamond would be in Okotoks—which is a 22.6 km drive back and forth from the community. Whereas the post office in Black Diamond is only “a knocking distance” away for most residents, according to Tomayer.

Tomayer also felt that people over 40 were more familiar with the service. Many enjoy its human element.

“It's user-friendly, you're going and talking to a real person. You're talking to a person whose job is dedicated to taking your mail and getting where it's supposed to go,” Tomayer said.

While some citizens of the three different towns had opinions about the strike, the company and what it could mean for their communities—for many residents the answer was very simple.

"I have no thoughts or feelings.”

Tomayer said that he heard no one complain about the strikes in his community or give much about the business in his community.

Many who declined to speak said that e-services had filled in the need for mail carry services. Bills and letters could be easily accessed with a computer and were more instantaneous.

Online communication was cheaper and allowed some residents to connect with their children or grandchildren faster than traditional mail.

In a 2023 annual report Canada Post reported 3.3 million less letters sent between the years of 2006 and 2023. That equates from a household receiving seven mails a week to two mails a week.

For Tomayer and very likely other residents— in order to talk about what could be done to fix the company would require a “12 pack of beer,” and “ maybe hard liquor.”