Donations to Medicine Hat non-profits drop over Canada Post strike

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Christmas direct mail donations to the Mustard Seed are down by 93 per cent this year, higher than the organization-wide decrease of 80 per cent, according to community and volunteer engagement director Dave Conrad.

“The postal disruption is really impacting our ability to receive donations on time,” Conrad told CHAT News on Wednesday.

“At this time of year, especially, we rely heavily on the mail to receive those donations to support our vulnerable neighbors.”

With donations accounting for about 47 per cent of its overall budget, the loss for the Mustard Seed is “significant”, Conrad added.

The Medicine Hat Women’s Shelter Society has been unable to launch its annual mail campaign because of the labour disruption.

Executive director Natasha Carvalho said the shelter typically sends out nearly 2,500 letters asking for support.

“That hasn’t gone out at all and we really count on that for donations and money coming through,” Carvalho said.

“We’re seeing a hit on that because of the strike right now.”

Donations have dropped by 50 per cent compared to what the organization usually raises this time of year, Carvalho added.

Natasha Carvalho says that donations this year are down. Jayk Sterkenburg/CHAT News

Canada’s Salvation Army said holiday donations are down 50 per cent nationally since the strike started in November, amounting to a drop of about $9.3 million compared to last year.

Spokesperson Lt.-Col. John Murray said 65 per cent of its annual fundraising occurs between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31, with roughly two-thirds of that by mail.

“This inability of our donors and supporters to make donations is going to potentially affect us in our delivery of service, not only during the holiday season, but in this coming year,” Murray said.

Charities have asked Canadians to donate online but it’s not always easy to convince donors to change up their approach from a mailing method they are used to, organizations say.

“It’s tried and true. People still use the mail quite a bit, whether it’s individuals or organizations or businesses sending in checks,” the Mustard Seed’s Conrad said.

Murray, the Salvation Army spokesperson, said digital donations increased $100,000 in the last week compared to the same time last year, but said it does little to cover the shortfall in mail donations.

There are other pressures, too.

As the cost of living in Canada continues to spike, charitable giving in Canada has declined, according to the Fraser Institute.

The share of tax filers who reported donating to charity fell from 19.4 per cent in 2018 to 17.1 per cent in 2022, a report found.

The institute found that Canadian generosity has hit its lowest point in 20 years, based on data from 2022, the latest publicly available.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers — representing more than 55,000 members — began its job action Nov. 15 over issues that include how to deploy staff for proposed weekend delivery shifts.

Canada Post said Wednesday the union’s new demands are unaffordable and unsustainable, claiming they would cost more than $3 billion over four years at a time when the postal service is struggling financially.

The union said its latest proposals included wage increases below what was previously demanded, as well as a cost-of-living allowance and better job security.

The impasse has left Canadians without its national postal service for 27 days.

Those who wish to donate to the Mustard Seed can do so by visiting TheSeed.ca’s donation page. The women’s shelter receives donations through CanadaHelps.org.

The Salvation Army is asking people to give online at SalvationArmy.ca, by phone at 1-800-SAL-ARMY or in person at one of its 2,000 Christmas kettle locations countrywide.

— with files from The Canadian Press

by Jayk Sterkenburg, Eli J. Ridder

Donations to Medicine Hat non-profits drop over Canada Post strike

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