How the postal strike is impacting rural Ontario

As postal workers across the Ottawa Valley walk picket lines rather than sidewalks, small businesses like Dianne Rodger Jewellery are concerned about getting holiday orders out.

"People look for that special gift at Christmas time, and if they can't order it, what are they going to do," said Victoria Alexander, a jeweller at the Dianne Rodger Jewellery.

The store ships handmade items across Canada and to the United States, which is a costly expense.

With Canada Post mail carriers now on strike, it’s one less option at the busiest time of year.

"We can do shipping in other ways, but Canada Post is really a staple," said Alexander.

One day one of the strike, postal workers in Arnprior walked the picket line in front of the post office on Harriet Street.

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Speaking with CTV News, they acknowledge that their presence will be missed greater in rural areas like Renfrew County than it will be in cities like Ottawa.

"I have a lot of elderly people on my route," said Andrew Fogarasi, a local mail carrier.

"They're more used to the post office rather than online; paying their bills through the mail, receiving their bills through the mail instead of doing it online, like a lot of us, including myself, actually do."

"There's a lot of farmers. A lot of people rely on the post office, and I would say more than in the city."

The timing of the strike by Canada Post workers is not lost on the public either, with the start of the holiday season already here.

Many are exacerbated by the job action.

"I shake my head. You know, I don't understand it. With all the different services and delivery at home, they're becoming irrelevant, is what I think," said White Lake resident Sam Spataro.

"They've lost too much. They're highly paid and it doesn't even make enough money to bail them out. They're always in the hole, so it's costing taxpayers," said Arnprior resident Linda Presley.

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Shipping companies such as FedEx, UPS, and Purolator all operate depots in the Ottawa Valley, though locations are sparse compared to Canada Post offices.

"What we do that Fedex and UPS and the other competing people won't, is we deliver to more remote areas," said Fogarasi.

"FedEx, the Amazon delivery agents, and all those companies have the luxury of saying, we're going to deliver within X number of kilometers of our depot.”

Many who live and work in those areas in Renfrew County recognize that as well.

"It's a terrible time of year," said Alexander. "I guess that's why they're doing it, because it's the most effective."

"Well, we always send Christmas cards and now we"re scratching our head, and I don't know. I have no answer to that," said Spataro