Canadians waiting on certain cheques will still receive them through the mail despite an ongoing postal workers strike.
READ: Here’s what you need to know about your mail
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Those include the Canadian Pension Plan, CPP Disability, and Old Age Security.
Ross Naroznick, president of local 776 Medicine Hat CUPW, said there has been an agreement in place since the early 1990s to still deliver the cheques amid a Canada Post strike.
“The socioeconomic checks are scheduled to be delivered again on the 18th and the 19th. Those are with disability and for pension,” Naroznick said.
“Those are just to protect the most vulnerable sector, make sure they’re not going without.”
For other cheques like the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped and Income Support and other provincial cheques in Alberta, those need to be picked up at Alberta Support Centres if they aren’t set up for direct deposit.
Those who receive their utility bills in the mail through the city of Medicine Hat, are still required to pay them on time to avoid late fees, like other bills.
Denise Schmaltz, manager of customer care and billing with the city, said they have already had 1,100 customers sign up for e-billing since the strike, with 62 per cent of their customers now receiving their utility bill online.
“Other options include for customers that do not have internet or do not use the computer, traditional options of phoning into the callcentre at Customer Care, coming down to City Hall, or emailing are also available to find out balances and the due dates,” Schmaltz said.
If support is required to sign up for e-utility or e-billing, customers are encouraged to contact customer care with the city, or come to city hall in person to get set up.
Schmaltz adds that additional support is available for those seeking more information.
“All the information is available on the city website under the government section under Canada Postal Strike,” Schmaltz said.
“All FAQs about that and also ways to sign up for the online portals are available online as well.”
Naroznick said they will have over 20 volunteers from the postal service to deliver the close to 3,000 cheques in the city, paid $50 by Canada Post so they remain covered by the Workers Compensation Bureau.
“At this moment we’re still hoping for a deal,” Naroznick said.
“There’s been a new offer that the union has sent to Canada Post. They had their comments saying that it was a step backwards, which we strongly disagree with, so I guess we’re going to see where it goes from there,” he added.
“But until then, it’s just the socioeconomic checks on the 18th and 19th.”
Naroznick added that they want to get back to work, and are hopeful a resolution can happen soon.
