Ottawa Mission raising alarms about donations amid possible Canada Post strike

A local Ottawa charity is urging people to contact the shelter to ensure donations will come through amid a possible Canada Post strike.

In a press release, the Ottawa Mission notes how many of its donations come through the mail, and with the holiday season around the corner, the potential strike at Canada Post could impact its ability to care for the most vulnerable.

“The mail is the main conduit by which we receive the clear majority of donations from our incredibly generous donors,” Namrata Goyes, The Mission’s Director of Development, said. “So if they are able, we urge them to contact us directly.”

On Tuesday, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers gave a 72-hour strike notice to Canada Post, for both the union’s urban bargaining unit and its rural and suburban units.

In a release, the union said workers will be in a legal strike position by Friday if a settlement isn’t reached, however, the union’s national executive board has yet to decide if job action will happen by the deadline.

The uncertainty around a possible postage stoppage, has the Ottawa Mission preparing for the worst.

“The period from September to the end of December is our busiest in terms of fundraising” Goyes said in the press release. “Our shelter is facing an unprecedented need for our services by increasing numbers of vulnerable community members, and donors comprise over 55 per cent of our budget to meet those needs.”

In September, the organization released it’s annual impact report which said the charity was dealing with “unprecedented” levels of homelessness and food insecurity in the nation’s capital, in part driven by the increasing number of people seeking refuge.

Last year, the number of refugees in Canada started increasing sharply, with the RCMP noting 4,350 claims in June 2023 at airports — almost all of them in Quebec and Ontario — a 31 per cent increase from January of that year.

Now as the Mission sets up for the holidays it is asking donors to be aware of the possible strike from Canada Post workers and to reach out in other ways.

Here’s how to donate to the Ottawa Mission

• Donations can be made directly at https://ottawamission.com/
• By phone at 613-234-1155
• In-person at 35 Waller St. (Note there is no parking on Waller)

“The amount of funds we need to raise has almost doubled from before the pandemic to now over $12 million as other sources of revenue grow at a slower pace,” Goyes said. “Our donors are essential to our ability to meet these needs, and we are incredibly grateful for their support.”