Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers have yet to reach a mutual understanding for a new contract. The two sides are currently in a lockout notice until Monday for the purpose of possibly striking a deal before the Crown corporation locks out its employees indefinitely.

Residents of West Central Saskatchewan are wondering how this will affect their own mail and parcels, and what steps to take with their mail in the wake of a postal lockout.

Canadians have been asked to make a couple changes to their usual mailing routine such as banking online, refraining from sending letters, and exploring other options for absolutely essential deliveries. One of the main tips presented to Canadians is to set up direct deposit when available as to receive their payments while paper mail remains halted.

During a postal work stoppage, all letters and parcels will remain unmoved in the system, and no new mail will be accepted for delivery. Only important cheques from the Government of Canada will be delivered on the 20th day of each month such as pension payments, child tax benefits, and disability benefits cheques.

Paying for bills will have to be made either online, over the phone, or in-person as payments will be expected to be made on time despite the paper mail disruption.

A large problem could occur for Canadians whom are waiting for a new passport to travel this summer. Those who continue to wait for their new passport are asked to call 1-800-567-6868. Canadians are asked to apply for their passport at a passport office, and if travelling in more than six weeks, they can visit a Service Canada centre as well

Packages from online websites will be a tricky situation for buyers. It will be up to users to investigate whether the website ships using Canada Post and if there are other shipping options they can utilize. Websites are asking users to explore other options or to be patient as their parcel may take longer to arrive than normal.

Saskatchewanians and the rest of Canada will have to adjust for an indefinite amount of time as the two sides focus on negotiating a new contract agreement.