Canada Post Strike Delays Voter Cards and Ballots Across Canada
A nationwide postal disruption is forcing elections officials across Alberta, Quebec, Yukon, and Nunavut to scramble for ways to deliver voter cards and mail-in ballots, as the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) begins rotating strikes.
Although some mail is moving again, the slowdown came too late for Canada Post to deliver critical election materials on time. Municipal and territorial election officials are now relying on couriers, volunteers, and even bailiffs to ensure residents receive their voting information before election day.
In Quebec, where voter registration rules are stricter than in most provinces, the impact has been especially severe. Voters must confirm their details before election day, usually through cards mailed by Elections Quebec. To meet deadlines, municipalities hired private couriers or community groups to hand-deliver registration cards.
“It’s been a lot of gymnastics,” said Charles-Hervé Aka, returning officer for Chelsea, Quebec, which paid for private delivery. Nearby Gatineau spent up to $6 per door to get cards out.
In the territories, officials in Yukon and Nunavut arranged land and air transport to move ballots to remote communities. Elections Yukon also introduced a “vote anywhere” option to keep access open for its Nov. 3 vote.
Alberta’s cities of Edmonton and Calgary have couriered mail-in ballots and asked voters to return them in person or pay for courier service. Some municipalities have dropped mailed voter cards entirely, asking residents to check polling information online.
Experts say the disruption could depress turnout.
“Direct mail remains one of the most effective ways to mobilize voters,” said Holly Ann Garnett of the Electoral Integrity Project, noting that voter cards help people understand where and how to vote.
The Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (CMM) has called for election documents to be declared “essential mail”, ensuring they are always delivered during postal disputes.
Neither Canada Post nor CUPW has committed to that change. The two sides remain locked in a labour dispute nearly a year old.
