Many Maritimers relying on local delivery amid Canada Post strike

As the national Canada Post strike continues, big lineups are forming at alternative postal services in the Halifax area.

Many Maritimers are making other arrangements to send out their packages, especially with the holidays around the corner.

"I might continue to do UPS. Canada Post is a little more convenient for me, but you never know,” said Halifax resident Donna Tolusso.

Richard Jenkinson, owner of the UPS in Halifax, says they have had to extend their store hours to keep up with the demand.

"Canada Post customers can only come to us, really; we are the only ones close enough to what they do so it’s benefitting the business tremendously,” says Jenkinson. “This month the turnover had doubled, it’s good,”

Haligone, which delivers packages and products across Nova Scotia for local businesses, is seeing an uptick in their customer base.

“Especially for shorter distance deliveries that would normally be handled like smaller services and parcels for postal services and we are handling that now,” says Canberk Ball, Haligone founder.

The Community Courier in Bedford, N.S., says they have been preparing for the busy holiday season so they’re ready to take on additional customers because of the strike.

"We have certainly seen an uptick in business over the last few weeks. It is coming on the holiday season, so we have staffed up for that so lucky we are able to absorb the business and help while the strike goes on,” says Gordon Kerr, Community Courier general manager.

The longer the strike goes on, the more it benefits these businesses. Kerr says they hope to keep their new customers.

"I have been getting feedback that we are quite competitive and that’s why I believe a lot of the customer base will stay with us. The model is different, and we are competitive price-wise,” says Kerr.

Jenkinson hopes the strike continues even longer.

"Whether they come to an agreement or not, if they stop their strike tomorrow or hopefully six months from now, it will be great for me,” says Jenkinson.