Canada Post lockout could harm small business owners

Snailmail might be a novelty to some, but for small business owners it can be crucial to their success.

"Even the threat of the lockout has been very, very disruptive to a small business like ours," saidLisa Mumm, owner of Mumm's Sprouting Seeds.

The business has been relying on Canada Post for more than30 years to send it's organic seeds across the country and around the world.

It sends out around 800 parcelsa month, and the uncertainty of what will happen has made running the small business much more difficult.

"Many business owners not only rely on the postal service to deliver goods to customers, but then they also send andreceivepayment," saidMarilyn Braun-Pollon.

Braun-Pollon, with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, said98 per cent of the federation's Saskatchewan members use Canada Post.

As Mumm explained, they have been using Canada Post for its reliability and quality. Other businesses rely on the mail for payment, as well as delivering their goods.

Since this is not the first time a lockout has been proposed, Braun-Pollon suggested potentially using E-Transfers as an alternative.

"Using electronic banking options, business to business transaction is unaffordable. In some businesses with some banks it costs up to $25 atransaction," saidBraun-Pollon.

After unsuccessful negotiationsbetween theCanadian Union of Postal Workers and Canada Post a 72-hour lockout notice was issued across Canada.

However, at this time a lockout is not certain.