Ottawa businesses worry about potential postal disruption

With a potential Canada Post strike on the horizon, small businesses in the nation's capital are worried about another disruption to the supply chain that can hurt their bottom line.

On Tuesday, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) said in a statementits executive board was giving the required 72-hours notice for both its rural and urban mail carrier bargaining units.

The union also noted its workers received notice fromCanadaPostCorporation that postal workers would be locked out Friday morning if agreements can't be reached.

For businesses in Ottawa, it's yet another headache before the holiday shopping season.

Jason Tasse, the president of Lee Valley Tools, an Ottawa-based home and garden chain with 18stores across Canada, said a postal strike could mean the chain's physical catalogue won't make it to people's mailboxes.

Tasse also worries the strike could prompt consumers to hold off from committing to their purchases, even though the companyhas saidthey do use alternative carriers like UPS and FedEx.

"The Canada Post disruption is pending, [consumers] lose confidence in ordering parcels,so there'll be a market retraction in response to this, despite the fact that businesses will havealternative carriers," he said.

"It is a level of complication nobody needs today. And sadly with these types of situations, nobody wins," Tasse said.

The potential postal worker strike could also impact smaller local businesses. Ian Boyd, who co-ownsCompact Music with his brother, said they send most of their records using the shipping service Chit Chats. But when asked Tuesday, he said two of 11 parcels going out that day were being sent throughCanada Post.

"We don't want to lose those two packages becauseevery sale is important when you're a little guy like my brother and I are," he said.

WATCH | Local businesses trying to make changes ahead of potential strike:

Ottawa business owners reliant on Canada Post worry about looming strike

5 days ago

Duration 2:26

Some small business owners in Ottawa are concerned about a Canada Post strike ahead of the busy holiday shopping season.

While some businesses can look at alternative carriers, Jasmin Gunette,national affairs vice-president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses, said that's not an option everyone can pursue.

"Canada Post is still the cheapest carrier service that small businesses can use," Gunette said.

"We need [Canada Post] service to be fully operational at all time, especially as we get closer to the holiday season.And many small businesses have been hit already by the work stoppage at B.C. ports and at the Port Of Montreal," he added.

The potential Canada Post strike comes afterlabour disputes broke out at majorports in Quebec and British Columbia.

On Sunday, the union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal rejected a deal with their employers' association, prompting a lockout at the facility. But on Tuesday,Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon sent thedisputes to binding arbitration.

Should a postal strike come to pass, Tasse said he hopes the potential economic impact will pressure both sides to return to the bargaining table.

"We really hope that they can resolve these things, but because it is a peak season, there'll be a lot of pressure for a resolution and we hope that they can get there," he said.