OTTAWA, ONTARIO, June 15, 2011—As a result of a labour dispute between the Canada Post Corporation (CPC) and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), Human Resources and Skills Development Canada has measures in place to ensure that clients continue to receive benefits from Service Canada during this period of postal disruption.
‘‘The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that Canadians receive their benefits on time and with as little inconvenience as possible,” said the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development. ‘‘We are also encouraging those people who have not already signed up for direct deposit to visit the Service Canada website and enrol for this service.”
Canadians who receive their benefit payments through direct deposit will not be affected by this postal disruption. Direct deposit is the standard way of delivering payments to Canadians; it is secure, convenient and reliable.
CPC and CUPW have agreed to deliver pension cheques once per month. This means that Old Age Security and Canada Pension Plan beneficiaries will continue to receive their cheques by mail during the postal disruption.
Clients who receive Employment Insurance (EI) cheques by mail are asked to go in person to select Service Canada sites and alternate distribution centres to pick up their cheques. Information on where EI recipients can pick up their cheques and what identification they must bring with them can be found at www.servicecanada.gc.ca, or by calling 1 800 O-Canada or 1-800-206-7218.
These procedures will remain in place until normal mail delivery resumes. Please see the attached backgrounder for additional details.
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This news release is available in alternative formats on request.
For further information (media only):
Ann Matejicka
Director of Communications
Office of Minister Finley
819-994-2482
Media Relations Office
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
819-994-5559
As of midnight, June 15, 2011, normal mail delivery stopped as a result of a labour dispute between the Canada Post Corporation (CPC) and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW).
The Government of Canada is committed to providing Canadians with the benefits and services to which they are eligible. That is why Human Resources and Skills Development Canada/Service Canada has contingency plans in place to ensure that clients continue to receive benefits during this period of disruption.
Direct deposit is our standard way of delivering payments to Canadians. Clients who receive payments through direct deposit will not be affected by this postal disruption.
CPC and CUPW have agreed to deliver pension cheques once per month. Postal delivery of Old Age Security and Canada Pension Plan benefits payments will continue.
Clients who receive their Employment Insurance (EI) benefits by mail will be asked to go in person to select Service Canada Centres or to alternate distribution centres to pick up their benefit payments.
EI recipients can find out where to pick up their EI cheques through the Service Canada website at www.servicecanada.gc.ca. They will be able to enter their postal code into a search function that will tell them where they can pick up their cheque.
Clients will need to bring an acceptable proof of identity with them to pick up their cheque. A list of acceptable proof of identity documents can be found on the Service Canada website. If clients do not have Internet access, they will be able to get information on where they can pick up their cheque by calling 1 800 O-Canada or 1-800-206-7218.
All other cheques issued by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and Service Canada will be held until normal mail delivery resumes.
Please visit www.servicecanada.gc.ca for updates.
EI claimants who have a My Service Canada Account can sign up for direct deposit:
Click: servicecanada.gc.ca/msca
Call: 1-800-206-7218
TTY: 1-800-529-3742
Visit: a Service Canada Centre
