Close X
Sunday, December 22, 2024
ADVT 
National

B.C. charities worried Canada Post strike will affect fundraising efforts

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 18 Nov, 2024 12:08 PM
  • B.C. charities worried Canada Post strike will affect fundraising efforts

Some B.C. charities and not-for-profits said they are worried the Canada Post strike will jeopardize their year-end fundraising efforts. 

Nicole Mucci, a spokeswoman for Union Gospel Mission in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, said 50 per cent of the organization's revenue normally comes between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and a mail strike at this time of the year is "detrimental" since so many donations come in the mail. 

Mucci said the Mission supports the postal workers' fight and hopes there will be a resolution soon, and in the meantime they are exploring other ways to connect with donors.

“Our team is having to revisit how they're going to send out certain things or how they're going to connect with our donors, just because we do send out quite a bit of mail at this time of year,” said Mucci.

Workers at Canada Post went on strike Friday after failing to reach a negotiated agreement with their employer. 

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers said approximately 55,000 workers are striking, claiming little progress has been made in the bargaining process.

Meanwhile, Canada Post said it's "disappointed" with the decision, which will "have a significant and immediate affect millions of Canadians, small businesses and charities who count on Canada Post during the busy holiday season."

Gregory Ould, co-founder of Vancouver-based charity Blanket BC Society, said his organization counts on large donations through the mail from a Canadian mattress company to help people in the winter, and he's worried the strike will affect the families, refugees and homeless people the organization serves. 

Ould said the society usually distributes about 5,000 to 8,000 blankets between this time of the year and December, and if the strike drags on, it will affect the amount of blankets they can distribute this winter. 

Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon said in a post on X, previously known as Twitter, that he has formally appointed Peter Simpson, director general of the federal mediation and conciliation services, as a special mediator to support negotiations between the two parties. 

Canadians need Canada Post and the union to reach an agreement and the government is “making sure that these two groups have everything they need to reach a deal," he said in his post on Thursday. 

As Canadians are exploring other ways to get their holiday gifts shipped, both Ould and Mucci are appealing for people not to forget about donating amid the strike. 

Mucci said it would be great if people could consider going online to make donations. 

MORE National ARTICLES

Founders of Vancouver club that sold tested illicit drugs file Charter challenge

Founders of Vancouver club that sold tested illicit drugs file Charter challenge
The founders of a Vancouver "compassion club" that sold heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine bought on the dark web and tested for contaminants, have filed a court challenge arguing their Charter rights and the rights of users were violated when the club was shut and they were arrested. 

Founders of Vancouver club that sold tested illicit drugs file Charter challenge

Canada and U.S. list Samidoun as terrorist group, U.S. adds Canadian to terror list

Canada and U.S. list Samidoun as terrorist group, U.S. adds Canadian to terror list
Canada is listing the pro-Palestinian group Samidoun as a terrorist group, while the U.S. has added a Canadian citizen affiliated with the organization to its counter-terrorism list. Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc says Samidoun will now be listed under Criminal Code offences that ban people from donating or providing property to the group.

Canada and U.S. list Samidoun as terrorist group, U.S. adds Canadian to terror list

Why India and Canada are in an escalating rift, with each expelling diplomats

Why India and Canada are in an escalating rift, with each expelling diplomats
Ottawa's decision to expel India's top envoy and five other diplomats have given rise to greater tensions that have simmered for months between the two countries with Sikh groups calling for Indian consulates to be shut down in Vancouver and Toronto. 

Why India and Canada are in an escalating rift, with each expelling diplomats

Carbon pricing rebates land in bank accounts as Liberals defend embattled policy

Carbon pricing rebates land in bank accounts as Liberals defend embattled policy
Canadians are set to receive carbon pricing rebates Tuesday, as the Liberals defend one of their most embattled policies. The government says this is the first time all banks will label the payment as the Canada Carbon Rebate, after years of inconsistent and vague phrasing on bank statements.

Carbon pricing rebates land in bank accounts as Liberals defend embattled policy

B.C. Conservatives expected to release costs of promises days before election

B.C. Conservatives expected to release costs of promises days before election
It's the last week of the British Columbia election campaign after a busy long weekend of promises for the B.C. Conservatives, including a new Children's Hospital for Surrey. B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad is expected to explain how he's going to pay for all his promises, from the so-called Rustad rebate to exempt up to $3,000 a month of rent or mortgage payments from taxes, to the plan to eliminate the carbon tax. 

B.C. Conservatives expected to release costs of promises days before election

Canada spat leads India newspapers as trade minister works to reassure business

Canada spat leads India newspapers as trade minister works to reassure business
On Monday, the RCMP warned the public about a rash of crimes including murder, extortion and coercion that the force links to Indian government agents. The allegations sparked diplomatic retaliation; after Canada declared six Indian diplomats persona non grata, India ordered six Canadian envoys out of the country by Saturday.

Canada spat leads India newspapers as trade minister works to reassure business