Canada Post has ‘taken Christmas away’: Small shops struggle to ship

Roxy Braun, the owner of Backroad Boutique, is feeling the impact of the Canada Post strike as it enters into its third week this holiday season.

As of the end of November, Canada Post estimated 10 million parcels have not been delivered due to the ongoing strike. According to the Crown corporation, a new framework was presented over the weekend for reaching agreements with the union.

“I just think that Canada Post has kind of taken Christmas away, because if you can’t buy online, our generations are buying online, and it is really hurting the small businesses,” Braun said.

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Roxy Braun, owner of Backroad Boutique, said her sales are down during the Canada Post strike. To fulfill some of her orders, Braun will drive two hours one way to drop off a packages. (Backroad Boutique website)

Braun’s small business — that runs out of her farm between Rosetown and Biggar — focuses on empowering women through clothing with a western flair. She designs and handcrafts all of the clothes, offering a wide size range. Additionally, she specializes in custom cowhide items and branding products like luggage, purses and shoes with her custom style.

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Finding a way to get those products to her customers in time for Christmas has significantly affected her business with the strike.

Braun said she has to drive two hours one way to drop packages off on her own, and shared that as a mom without daycare, she has to take her kids along or forgo shipping orders altogether.

Currently, she said orders are only shipped once a week or every two weeks because she cannot afford to drive hours a day to drop off packages.

“It’s unfortunate because my customers also can’t shop what they want to shop this holiday season because they’re scared it’s not going to get to them,” she said.

Braun noted that rural shipping providers like Purolator, still rely on the crown corporation, meaning that when she tries to avoid using Canada Post, it’s not possible. She said often packages will be stuck at the Canada Post warehouse.

“Some people aren’t even placing orders online because they’re terrified that they’re not going to get their orders from different shipping providers,” she said

“All my friends (said) their sales have decreased, this is the time our sales are skyrocketing, and none of us feel like they are because of the strike.”