Canada Post lost this Toronto woman's $1,100 phone and she won't get most of the money back

AToronto woman has been waiting for Canada Post to deliver her $1,100 smartphone for almost a month after the parcel made several stops on its 100-kilometre journey marred by the rotating strike.

Amanda Birch, 30, described the experience as a "nightmare" and saidthe carrier won't compensate her for the full price of the missing parcel because she had insufficient insurance.

She boughta Huawei Mate 20 Pro on Oct. 28 through a two-year plan withRogers.

But since the Chinese-made phone is attached to a family plan,the provider had to send it to her mother's house in Cambridge, Ont., west of Toronto, because that's the address associated with the account.

"I was just really excited to have a new phone because my other one just wasn't working as well," Birch told CBCToronto on Friday.

Three days later, Birch's mother sent the expensive deviceto her apartment in the city'sQueen Street W. area through Canada Post.

She paid $14for Xpresspost shipping.The package was guaranteed toarrive within two days, by Nov. 2.

But 22 dayslater, her phone still hasn't arrived. Its journey was marred by the Canada Post strike, according to tracking informationsent from the carrier.

Now,the parcel has been declared lost.

"My Canada Post tracking record ... was the longest one they've ever seen," Birch said of a postal worker's reaction to her situation.

Canada Post did not respond toCBCToronto's request for comment.

'Big disappointment'

Canada Post does offer insurance for similar incidents, but the family didn't buy enough to cover the full cost of the phone.

The tracking log shows the phone in Cambridge, then Stoney Creek, Mississauga and finally "out for delivery" in Toronto on Nov. 5.

"Every single day someone ... promised usit wasn'tlost or stolen and it would be delivered the next day.And then nothing," Birch said of the response she received from customer service agents at Canada Post.

Each update warned "delivery may be delayed due to labour disruption," until a customer service inquiry determined on Nov. 22 that the mail item could not be delivered.Carriers hit the picket lines on Oct. 22 more than a week before Birch's mother mailed her phone.

"It's just a big disappointment," said Birch.

On Thursday, Labour Minister Patty Hajdu tabled emergency legislation in the House of Commons that would force Canada Post carriers back to work.

Around 550 trucks full of parcels have been piling up and deliveries from other countries have been suspended until Canada Post can clear a 30-day delivery backlog.

'I will never use them again'

Knowing the strike had just started, Birch saidher mother asked the Canada Post worker on Oct. 31 if the targetedwork stoppage would delay the package.

"Unfortunately, the girl assured her it wouldn't affect it," she said.

"Maybe we should have known better, but why wouldn't we believe that was the case?"

According to the Crown corporation's website, customers have the option to purchase additional liability coverage. This add-onwould cover up to $5,000 if the item was lost or stolenand it'ssold in increments.

Although Birch's mother partly insured the parcel, it only covered $114.

With no other way of recouping the cost, she is still out around $1,000.

"I will never use them again," Birch said of Canada Post. "It's just been a nightmare."

In an unexpected turn on Saturday afternoon, a spokesperson forHuaweicontacted CBCToronto in an attempt to touch base with Birch. Wayne Doyle said the company would offer her a complimentary phone in the same model as the one that was lost.

"Our heart goes out to Amanda," he said.