Santa Claus to continue with letter response despite postal strike

Although mail across the country has come to a grinding halt, Santa Claus doesn’t stop. 

For those looking to write their yearly letter to Santa and Mrs. Claus despite the ongoing postal workers’ strike, some mail carriers in Winnipeg are making sure the big guy in red will still get addressed letters, even though it might look a little different for Christmas 2024. 

“We have makeshift boxes set up for the picking up of letters,” said Sean Tugby, president of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) Local 856 in Winnipeg.  

“They’re being processed from my understanding, and sent to the North Pole this week. And they should be back into the hands of kids by next week.”

People sending letters to Santa can drop-off them off at three locations: 1870 Wellington Ave., 208 Provencher Blvd., and 1199 Nairn Ave. with union officials saying they won’t let the ongoing labour dispute get in the way of a child’s Christmas wish. 

“It’s important that kids believe in magic,” said Tugby. “The idea of what’s called an ‘adult disagreement’ shouldn’t affect children, and we’re going to make sure that children don’t lose that Christmas magic that we all should have in our hearts.” 

Negotiations between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers are at a standstill after a mediator appointed by the government determined the two parties are too far apart. 

However, on Sunday the CUPW issued a statement saying it had received “comprehensive framework” documents from Canada Post, and it too has submitted what it called “adjustments to demands” in hopes of restarting the mediated talks. 

Canada Post said in a statement the same day, that it hopes the new framework will allow parties to “work toward final agreements” saying it understands the impact the strike is having on its “employees, customers and so many Canadians.”