Nova Scotia allows pick-up of government correspondence amid Canada Post strike

Some Canadians are scrambling to find out how to pay bills and get government cheques amid the Canada Post strike.

Nova Scotia is allowing people to pick up and drop off provincial government correspondence at Access Nova Scotia centres this month amid the Canada Post strike.

Canada Post workers walked off the job across the country after the federal government authorized changes including cutting back on door-to-door deliveries. Union members say the changes will result in widespread job loss.

The province says people will be able to drop off “high-priority letter-sized correspondence” at the centres starting Thursday.

On Oct. 14, people will be allowed to pick up essential correspondence from the provincial government at the centres.

“Provincial staff will contact people who are expecting correspondence from the government to confirm the centre location and the date the item will arrive,” a news release reads. “This service is only for essential correspondence that cannot be emailed such as cheques. It does not include personal mail, bill payments such as phone or power, or mail for the federal government such as passport applications. It also does not apply to packages.”

Delays in Halifax mail

The Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) has told residents the strike may cause delays in municipal mail delivery.

“Property tax bills and vendor payments sent by mail may arrive later than expected,” the municipality says.

People who do not receive their property tax bill via mail can request a reprint by visiting the municipality’s website, calling 311 or emailing [e-mail].

People who mailed cheques before the strike was called last Thursday are asked to wait until Oct. 17 before contacting the municipality.

For those paying their taxes, Vicki Robertson from HRM said residents have a few options.

“The people who want to make payments for their taxes, they’ve got a couple of options, they can go to their bank and pay it in person, or they can do it through online banking,” she said.

“The other impact we might have is there may be some residents that are expecting a refund from us, some kind of a check from us... if that’s the case, they can actually get in touch with us through 311, and we can arrange to have that check taken to a customer service center and they can pick it up from there.”

-With files from CTV Atlantic’s Vanessa Wright

For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page