Bills, appointment reminders impacted by possible postal strike

Canada Post vehicles are seen parked at a delivery depot in Vancouver, B.C., Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)

Manitoba’s health system is temporarily moving away from sending appointment letters and pre-appointment information in the mail.

The change is because of a potential Canada Post strike, which could start Friday.

Health officials said Thursday that clinics have temporarily paused using Canada Post.

If you have an upcoming appointment, you will instead be contacted by phone and/or email.

If patients have questions about the legitimacy of a call, they can contact their clinic or care provider directly.

Manitobans with upcoming appointments at Health Sciences Centre may be texted an appointment confirmation. The text will come from a Manitoba number with a 431 area code. A clinic phone number will be a part of the text, which patients should call for confirmation.

Confirmation letters for appointments happening after Aug. 12, 2025, are being held temporarily. If the postal strike carries on, those patients will also get an appointment confirmation by text or phone.

Patients who rely on mail service for supplies should also submit orders early.

Health officials remind Manitobans that legitimate callers will never ask for any personal financial information.

Hydro bills won’t be delivered during strike

Manitoba Hydro announced Thursday that paper bills will not be delivered should there be a postal stoppage.

The crown corporation also advised customers to not put cheques into the mail during a mail strike.

Customers are still responsible for making sure their bills get paid and can avoid missing payments and late fees by setting up an online account.

Payments can also be made in person at the bank.