Canada Post Strike Hits B.C. Charities Hard, Threatening Holiday Donations

The Canada Post strike is creating a major financial challenge for B.C. charities, as the ongoing labor dispute hampers end-of-year fundraising efforts during the critical Giving Tuesday period.

Over 55,000 postal workers across Canada have been on strike since Nov. 15, delaying thousands of letters and packages. Charities relying on direct mail to solicit donations are seeing a sharp decline in contributions, with some predicting multi-million-dollar shortfalls.

Angela Chapman, CEO of the Vancouver General Hospital and UBC Hospital Foundation, said donations are down 15 percent compared to the same period over the last two years.

“We estimate the impact of the drop will amount to about $1 million,” she said. The foundation, which traditionally relies on high-profile fundraising raffles, is now urging supporters to donate online.

The Canadian Cancer Society has experienced even steeper declines, with a reported 60 percent drop in offline donations, equating to about $2 million in losses.

“This labor dispute has become the nightmare before Christmas for Canadian charities,” said Nicole Danesi of CanadaHelps, an online platform that tracks charitable donations. “Many organizations are scrambling to find alternative ways to reach donors.”

A Shift to Online Giving

Giving Tuesday, which follows U.S. Thanksgiving, typically sees a surge in charitable contributions. However, Danesi noted that the number of Canadians donating to registered charities has declined over the years, dropping from 25 percent in 2010 to 17 percent in 2021.

“We want to remind Canadians that charities provide critical services for those in need and for the benefit of all,” Danesi said. She emphasized the importance of online giving to help charities recover from the losses caused by postal disruptions.

Calls for a Resolution

Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon acknowledged the strike's widespread impact in a post on X (formerly Twitter), urging both Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers to resolve their differences.

As negotiations remain at a standstill, charities are left to innovate, hoping that digital campaigns can bridge the financial gap during what is typically their busiest and most critical fundraising season.