The Canadian Federation of Independent Business surveyed its members after the 2024 Canada Post strike and among the 2,317 businesses that responded four in five small and medium sized enterprises continue to use Canada Post, but two-thirds said they’d stop using Canada Post if another strike occurred.

Of the respondents, 73 per cent say they use Canada Post to send cheques or invoices, 61 per cent for other letter mail, 35 per cent send packages and 19 per cent send promotional materials.

While one in five users consider Canada Post essential to their operations and 80 per cent believe the country needs a national postal system, nine in ten support reforms even if it means reduced service and less convenience.

Only 27 per cent support full privatization but 51 per cent would welcome community mailboxes and 52 per cent would support reduced delivery.

CFIB is recommending the changes announced by the federal government which include changes to mail delivery standards, phasing out door-to-door delivery in favour of community mailboxes, and a review of rural post office operations, be implemented as quickly as possible. They also suggest Canada Post be categorized as an essential service which is bound by financial constraints to avoid repeated deficits.