Many people are feeling strained as the Canada Post workers strike approaches four weeks, impacting charity donations, courier businesses and services received by mail.
Unison provides a free food market, recreation programs and housing supports to Calgary seniors.
Many of the non-profit’s donors are seniors, too, who prefer to give a cheque in the mail.
“Organizations that serve seniors are probably doubly affected by the strike, so we’re fairly nervous,” said Larry Mathieson, president and CEO of Unison at Kerby Centre.
Its holiday mail-out campaign usually brings in a quarter of its funding.
Mathieson says inflation and housing costs mean Unison is helping more seniors.
“The demand for our services has gone up 30 per cent but the fundraising, the revenue to support it, has gone down, so it’s a bit of a challenge,” he said.
Higher demand isn’t a bad thing for local courier companies being used as an …