Canada Post work stoppage a concern for Islanders with disabilities

Island seniors and people with disabilities are concerned about how a Canada Post work stoppage will affect them.

"I get a little disability cheque and it comes in the mail," said Bertha MacPhee. "I'd have to phone them up and get them to send it to the bank and all that."

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She's not alone, said Marcia Carroll, executive director of the P.E.I. Council of People with Disabilities.

"Certainly we have lots of clients who don't have internet access so if they're not getting an automatic deposit or even if they are getting an automatic deposit, there's no way for them to check that or look it up. So lots of our folks still depend on the mail system to get their cheques every month."

Postal service workers have been without contracts since late January 2016.

Kaylin Milligan, a receptionist at an accounting firm, said interruptions in the mail can cause extra work.

"There's kind of some talk going around that we're slightly worried that we might not get our mail every day ... then there's a bunch of mail piled up and it's not fun."

We have as many trucks ready as we can, but our big concern is to look after our own customers- Thane Dunn, owner of MacInnis Express

Courier companies have been bracing for the possibility of increased work.

"We have as many trucks ready as we can, but our big concern is to look after our own customers," said Thane Nunn, owner of MacInnis Express.

The provincial government says it is arranging other ways to get mail delivered if serviceis interrupted.

It said it will let people know about alternate delivery methods for services such as social assistance, medical test results, maintenance enforcement and renovation programs.

But some people on social media said a Canada Post work stoppage won't affect them at all.

"As long as it doesn't affect my emails, I should be fine," wrote Condog on Twitter.

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