The  Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) has been in a legal strike position as of May 23, 2025, and negotiations have not progressed significantly. As a result, the union is expected to impose more strike actions at any time now.

This means further service disruptions could begin with little notice, potentially affecting mail delivery across the country, including donation cheques, tax receipts, and other critical communications. 

A Canada Post strike can lead to major delays in the delivery of mail, including donation cheques, tax receipts, appeal letters, and charity materials to donors. These disruptions can directly affect how your charity receives donations and stays connected with your supporters, especially those who still give through the mail.

When a similar strike occurred during the holiday season in 2024, Canadian charities experienced an estimated $266 million drop in donations. 

By taking proactive steps now, your charity can help protect against losing revenue.

When registering If you have donors who rely on mail to send in their cheques, those contributions could arrive late or not at all. Apart from the loss in donations, delayed tax receipting and slower cheque processing can create cash flow challenges for your charity. 

It could also impact monthly giving from donors who typically give by mail, which further creates a roadblock to consistent donation flow.

Additionally, donors receiving appeal letters too late may miss key giving opportunities, especially during time-sensitive campaigns.
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With a few simple steps, you can help ensure donations continue to come in, even during a postal disruption.
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‍Encourage online giving: Promote your online donation form widely across all channels. Make donating online easy and visible by updating your website and sharing links in your emails and social media. 

‍Communicate clearly: Add clear messaging about the impact of the strike to your website, newsletters, social media, and emails so supporters know that online giving is the fastest and most secure way to support your work right now. Calling donors personally is another great way to maintain relationships and make giving feel more personal during uncertain times.

‍Encourage monthly giving: Monthly giving provides reliable support, even when the mail is delayed. Consider using monthly-first donation forms to encourage donors to switch to monthly giving.

In addition to accepting donations online, you could consider hosting virtual fundraising events, running donation drives, and setting up peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns.

Learn more about diversifying your fundraising strategy.

Digital fundraising provides a seamless way for your charity to receive donations without relying on traditional mail. CanadaHelps’ fundraising tools are simple to set up and don’t require any tech skills. 

Through our Customizable Donation Forms, donors can give 24/7 in just a few clicks and receive CRA-compliant tax receipts instantly. Accept one-time, monthly, tribute, or securities donations on your website or through a shared link. Donations are deposited directly into your charity account every week via automatic electronic fund transfers (EFT). Set one up today.

‍Charity Profile Page on CanadaHelps acts as a hub for your cause. This page helps you showcase your charity to over 5 million Canadians who have donated through CanadaHelps. Learn how to update your Charity Profile Page here.

Additionally, you can launch peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising campaigns to empower your supporters to fundraise on your behalf, as well as host virtual, offline, or hybrid events.

And with mobile-optimized tools, you’ll meet donors where they already are: online and on their phones.

Yes. With CanadaHelps, you can accept a wide variety of donations tailored to your supporters’ preferences. We offer different types of donation forms so your charity can receive one-time donations, monthly gifts, tribute donations, and gifts of securities.

Use every channel available to guide your supporters to your online donation form: emails, website, newsletters, and social media. Make the link prominent and easy to find. 

You can also embed your CanadaHelps donation form directly on your site or link to it.

Once you create your donation form, you’ll be able to access a unique embed and link URL. This can be added to your site as a link or even hyperlinked to a “Donate” button, so visitors can easily find it and give. 

Need help embedding or linking your form? Here’s a step-by-step guide to walk you through it.

To avoid delays and ensure quicker access to your funds, take advantage of our Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) service. With EFT, donations made online through CanadaHelps are automatically deposited directly into your charity’s bank account every week.

This not only eliminates dependency on Canada Post, but it also ensures that your charity receives support when you need it most. Click here to get started – it is simple and easy to set up

Don’t worry, it’s easy to get started.If your charity already has an account with CanadaHelps: Log in and set up your Customizable Donation Form today. It only takes a few minutes, and no design or technical experience is needed.

If you don’t have an account with CanadaHelps yet: Your CRA-registered charity already has a CanadaHelps Charity Profile waiting to be claimed. Once you claim it and set up your account, you can start setting up your digital fundraising tools right away. Claim your profile.

‍Need help? Reach out to us at info@canadahelps.org or book a walkthrough here.

Be open, clear, and encouraging. Let your donors know that your organization is aware of the postal disruption and is taking steps to ensure their gifts can still make a timely impact. 

Make it clear that online donations are the most reliable and secure way to give right now. Consider adding a homepage banner or pop-up to guide donors to your online donation form. 

You can use your website, email communications, and social media channels to share this message. See Step 2 above for an email template.

If possible, reach out to long-time donors with a personal call – this is also a great opportunity to thank them and update them on your work. The more visible and proactive you are, the more confidence your donors will have in your charity’s work.

Some donors may need a little encouragement and guidance as they transition to online giving. Reassure them that any donation made via CanadaHelps is safe and secure, that their tax receipts will be issued instantly, and that we accept all major credit cards and payment methods.

You can offer clear, step-by-step instructions through your website, emails, or a phone call. If needed, walk them through the process personally. 

Monthly giving is another great option – it’s a one-time setup and provides ongoing support to your charity without requiring further action from the donor.

And most importantly, remind them how much their support matters, especially during uncertain times like these.

Not at all. Now is the time to stay visible and active. With strong messaging and online donation tools in place, your charity can continue to engage donors and raise critical funds without interruption. Waiting to act could mean missed opportunities and reduced support, so stay proactive and connected.