Canada Post at a Crossroads: Small Businesses Call for Change
Canada’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) continue to rely on Canada Post, but their trust in its reliability and long-term viability is fading. That concern is fuelled by mounting financial losses, declining mail volumes, and repeated labour disruptions.
This report draws on responses to a CFIB survey on Canada Post, conducted June 26-July 10, 2025 with input from 2,317 business owners across all provinces and sectors.
Survey findings
- Still widely used: After the 2024 strike, four in five SMEs continue to use Canada Post.
- Loyalty is fragile: Two-thirds say they would stop using it if another strike occurred.
- Primary uses: 73% send cheques or invoices, 61% send other letter mail, 35% send packages, and 19% send promotional materials.
- Critical for some: One in five users consider Canada Post essential to their operations.
- Broad support for reform:
- 80% believe Canada needs a national postal system.
- Nine in 10 support reforms, even if they reduce service or convenience.
- Top changes supported: reduced delivery (52%), community mailboxes (51%), and compensation limits (45%).
- Only 27% support full privatization.
Bottom line: Small businesses value Canada Post’s role in connecting communities and enabling commerce—especially in rural areas—but they want it modernized, sustainable, and better aligned with today’s business needs.
In this light, CFIB recommends the following:
- Implement the changes announced by the federal government (changes to mail delivery standards, phasing out door-to-door delivery in favour of community mailboxes, and a review of rural post office operations) in full, and as quickly as possible.
- Freeze Canada Post's compensation expenses and support the implementation of more flexible work schedules.
- Consider Canada Post an essential service provider to limit the possibility and impacts of work stoppages in the future and enhance reliability.
- Introduce financial constraints to limit repeated yearly deficit.
Marvin Cruz
Director of Research
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