Operational and Carrier Updates
Canada Post Update (November 21, 2022)
Information about peak season Canada Post network status: https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/business/shipping/alerts-and-system-status.page
Carrier Holiday Updates (November 21, 2022)
Stay up to date with holiday shipping schedules using the links below.
InterFulfillment: https://interfulfillment.com/interfulfillment-2022-holiday-shipping-schedule
Canada Post: https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/business/shipping/alerts-and-system-status.page
UPS: https://www.ups.com/ca/en/support/shipping-support/shipping-services/holiday-shipping-schedule.page
FedEx: https://www.fedex.com/en-ca/shipping/holidays.html
Carrier Fuel Surcharges Rising (April 18, 2022)
In recent months, the price of gas has been surging worldwide. This has a direct impact on carrier rates. Each carrier uses Fuel Surcharges to offset the cost of fuel. This is a rate charged on top of core carrier rates that tends to fluctuate on a monthly basis in order to stay in line with ever-changing fuel costs associated with delivering parcels. Here is a breakdown of each carrier's most up-to-date fuel surcharge rates as well as links to the most current information available from each carrier directly.
Canda Post: Current Fuel Surcharge Rate 26.50%
https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/support/kb/sending/rates-dimensions/fuel-surcharges-on-mail-and-parcels
UPS: Current Fuel Surcharge Rate 33.50%
https://www.ups.com/ca/en/shipping/surcharges/fuel-surcharges.page
FedEx: Current Fuel Surcharge Rate 32.50%
https://www.fedex.com/en-ca/shipping/fuel-surcharges.html
These fuel rates have a significant effect on overall carrier shipping costs. Under the current geopolitical circumstances, we do not see these rates being lowered any time soon. As a result, we strongly recommend that you take the time to adjust your shipping prices throughout your shipping channels, and do your best to monitor these rates on a monthly basis. InterFulfillment has no control over these carrier surcharges or rates. Each carrier sets its own rate, at its own discretion. Adjusting your shipping prices is the only way to mitigate these costs.
Update to Receiving Department Hours (April 18, 2022)
Also, be advised that our Receiving Department's schedule has now been updated to Monday to Friday 7 AM to 3:30 PM at each facility's respective local time. Please ensure that all scheduled inventory deliveries are within this timeframe going forward.
Canada Post Service Alert: Mail delivery alert for parts of Ontario (January 17, 2022)
Canada Post has posted the following service alert message via their 'Updated information on mail delivery interruptions' page (source linked below).
Canada Post Service Alert: Mail delivery alert for the Province of Quebec (January 17, 2022)
Canada Post has posted the following service alert message via their 'Updated information on mail delivery interruptions' page (source linked below).
The safety of our employees is our number one priority. A red service alert means that we are suspending delivery for the day and not sending our delivery agents out, as inclement weather and snow have made it unsafe. Delivery will resume once it is deemed safe to do so. The following region will not have deliveries today: Province of Quebec
Severe Weather Conditions Reported (January 17, 2022)
This morning there have been severe weather conditions reported across all Eastern Canada. Unfortunately, we expect this will cause carrier delivery delays.
CBC NEWS: Major blizzard slamming Greater Toronto Area, with up to 60 cm of snow expected
Please be advised that we have no control over delays of this nature and will continue to process all customer orders as normal.
Canada Post Service Alerts: Red mail delivery service alert issued for parts of Nova Scotia (December 10, 2021)
Canada Post via Twitter: The safety of our employees is our number one priority. A red service alert means that we are suspending delivery for the day and not sending our delivery agents out, as inclement weather and snow have made it unsafe.
Delivery will resume once it is deemed safe to do so. The following regions will not have deliveries today: - Antigonish county - Guysborough county - Kentville - Bridgewater - Yarmouth
We encourage customers to clear the snow and ice from their walkways, stairs, and driveways, to ensure safe access to the front door for both their visitors, as well as their mail carriers, when service resumes.
SOURCE: Canada Post Service Alerts: Red mail delivery service alert issued for parts of Nova Scotia
For the latest Canada Post service alerts, please visit and follow: https://twitter.com/canadaposthelps
Canada Post Mail Delivery for the City of Edmonton and Central Alberta (December 9, 2021)
Canada Post Service Alerts: Yellow mail delivery service alert issued for Edmonton, AB. Canada Post has issued yellow delivery service alerts for the City of Edmonton and Central Alberta due to freezing rain conditions.
A yellow service alert means Canada Post is going to do its best to deliver, but there may be delays in the City of Edmonton and Central Alberta due to freezing rain.
Canada Post encourages customers to clear the snow and ice from their walkways, stairs, and driveways, to ensure safe access to the front door for both their visitors, as well as their mail carriers, when service resumes. An alert can be issued for a particular community or an entire province, depending on the weather event.
Canada Post Service Alerts: Yellow mail delivery service alert issued for Edmonton, AB.
Status of the Network - Canada Post (December 6, 2021)
Canada Post has provided another update on the Southern British Columbia Service Disruption. Below is a spreadsheet with Postal Codes in British Columbia that Canada Post is not accepting parcels shipping to.
British Columbia Flood Restricted Postal Codes Spreadsheet
For more information, please review the PDF below which provides more information on service disruptions for parcels shipping to British Columbia and Newfoundland.
Canada Post Status of the Network - December 6, 2021
UPS Ground Southern British Columbia Carrier Service Disruption (November 26, 2021)
UPS Ground service is unavailable for certain postal codes in British Columbia.
UPS Ground Unavailable Postal Codes
Status of the Network - Canada Post (November 26, 2021)
Canada Post has provided an update on the Southern British Columbia Service Disruption we reported on last week. Currently, Canada Post has shared the following links with the latest updates.
Updates on the situation in British Columbia and Newfoundland
This PDF document above includes a detailed list of BC Postal Codes that Canada Post is currently unable to deliver to. For additional Canada Post updates, please visit the following link.
[ATTENTION] Southern British Columbia Carrier Service Disruption (November 19, 2021)
Due to extreme rain, flooding, and mudslides throughout Southern British Columbia, multiple highways in the area are inaccessible. The province of BC has declared a state of emergency. As a result, small parcel and LTL carriers are experiencing shipping delays.
We will continue to monitor updates from the carriers and keep our customers informed as more information becomes available. For the latest updates regarding service delays, we are including the pertinent websites for FedEx, Canada Post, and UPS.
https://www.fedex.com/en-ca/service-alerts.html
https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/our-company/news-and-media/service-alerts.page
https://www.ups.com/ca/en/service-alerts.page
Customers inducting time-sensitive items TO OR FROM areas in Western Canada should consider using Xpresspost™ or Priority™ service to help ensure timely delivery of their mailing.
InterFulfillment Staff COVID-19 Vaccination Progress Update (August 27, 2021)
We are proud that our staff unanimously acknowledges the importance of COVID-19 vaccination. As of today, 100% of our Warehouse Associates and office staff have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. In addition, 70% of our staff has already received their second dose. We continue to work our way towards 100% double vaccination but continue to follow strict safety protocols at our facilities and office to ensure our operation remains safe and able to function at full capacity.
InterFulfillment Staff COVID-19 Vaccination Progress Update (May 18, 2021)
We are pleased to announce that our staff has begun to receive their first doses of COVID-19 vaccines. More InterFulfillment employees are being vaccinated daily as more age groups open up in the province of Ontario. We anticipate that most of our staff will be fully vaccinated by Fall 2021. This is the first step to ensuring the safety of our team and lifting our COVID-19 protocols and restrictions.
Canada Post On-Time Delivery Guarantee Suspension Update (April 28, 2021)
Although the Canada Post on-time delivery guarantee remains suspended we have seen parcel delivery speed increase across Canada. We anticipate that Canada Post delivery guarantees and shipping standards will be reinstated soon. As soon as more information becomes available we will share an update.
InterFulfillment Covid-19 Protocols Continue to Remain Effective (March 12, 2021)
Early in the COVID-19 Outbreak, InterFulfillment adopted numerous operational protocols to ensure our team remained safe while being able to continue processing your orders. All employees able to perform their duties remotely began to do so.
For employees required to be on the premises, we made vast adjustments to our facilities to permit our Warehouse Associates to perform their tasks while distanced from one another. From receiving your inventory to picking and packing your orders, we were able to allow our operation to remain efficient while taking appropriate precautions.
Each employee is required to report even the slightest symptoms to management on a daily basis. In addition to that, every employee is required to have their temperature taken by a supervisor prior to each shift. Any employee who reported symptoms or showed signs of fever was asked to remain home and to take a COVID-19 test prior to returning.
We are pleased with the results thus far, as we have been able to avoid outbreaks at our facilities while remaining efficient and productive. Our management team will continue to make any and all necessary adjustments to protocols to ensure the safety of our staff and continue to provide the same quality services you have come to expect.
Ontario Declares State of Emergency (January 12, 2021)
For more information regarding this announcement, please visit NOTICE: Ontario Declares State of Emergency.
Canada Post Parcel Processing and Delivery Statement (July 10, 2020)
We have taken several actions to stabilize our network over the last several weeks including the addition of trained temporary employees, the transfer of some parcels to other Canada Post locations for processing based on capacity, as well as introducing volume restrictions over the last several weeks with our commercial customers in the GTA and Montreal. These actions have been successful in reducing our backlog and we have made significant progress across our network over the last several weeks. Continuation of these efforts is critical to help stabilize our network. We continue to see some delays at Gateway of about 3 days, while other facilities maybe 1 to 2 days delay. Please note that the larger/heavier packages continue to present the biggest challenges for us and can be significantly delayed as they work their way through our network.
Over the coming weeks, we will be working with our commercial customers to review current volume caps and make adjustments where possible. This must be done carefully to ensure the continued stability of the network and to prevent future backlogs. We appreciate your patience and thank you in advance for your cooperation as we assess volume and capacity over the coming weeks.
Our inbound international volumes are very high in Montreal, Toronto, and especially Vancouver. Please note that we are experiencing significant customs clearance delays in Toronto and Vancouver.
Canada Post Status of the Network Announcement (June 19, 2020)
PARCEL PROCESSING AND DELIVERY: We continue to process and deliver on weekends and have additional support from trained temporary employees to assist in getting us through large volumes. As well, some parcels may be transferred to other Canada Post locations for processing based on capacity, so customers tracking their items may notice their parcel is taking a different route than normal. Although some of our processing facilities across the country remain at maximum capacity, the actions taken to date including the volume restrictions that we have implemented over the last few weeks in Montreal and the GTA are contributing to some positive signs. Montreal and Gateway continue to have a backlog and significant delays, while other parts of our network are showing signs of improvement. At this time, delays across the network remain in effect. However, should these improvements continue, we will be able to make significant improvements on our backlog over the coming weeks. Our inbound international volumes are very high in Montreal, Toronto and especially Vancouver. Please note that we are experiencing customs clearance delays in Vancouver.
MAIL: The suspension of our service guarantees remains in effect as well, including Date Specific for Neighbourhood Mail (NM). We are seeing some delays in the order of approximately 3 days with regards to oversized Lettermail that is processed in Gateway. Across the network we are seeing some minor delays related to NM but nothing significant at this time. All machined mail such as Lettermail, Personalized Mail and Postal Code Targeting mail continue to process well but may experience some delays.
Based on this information, please set expectations of delays with your respective customers. Our dedicated employees are working hard to serve and we’ll continue to keep customers updated on our progress.
REMINDERS: Our Knock, Drop and Go approach remains in effect: Delivery employees knock or ring, choose the safest location available to leave the item and then depart for the next address. This change eliminates the need for signatures at the door, speeds up delivery and has greatly reduced the number of parcels sent to our post offices for pickup. Signature items are left at the recipient’s address while products that require proof of identity (POI), proof of age (POA), COD items or items with customs due are carded to the local post office for pick up.
Please visit our website for updates and alerts related to specific communities that may be significantly affected by the COVID-19 situation. We appreciate your business and we will continue to keep you updated on our progress. If you have any questions about the contents of this note, please contact your dedicated Customer Service representative.
Important Announcement Regarding Carrier Pick-Ups (June 5, 2020)
We are in unprecedented times and as a result carriers are facing unprecedented volumes that have caused a serious overload at their processing facilities. Canada Post has reached out to us today to let us know they currently cannot guarantee the capability to continue to collect all parcels on a daily basis.
Should Canada Post or any carrier not have the capacity to accept one of your parcels for same-day shipping, our support team will proactively reach out to let you know that your parcels will be prioritized for pick-up the following day.
As the nation moves forward with reopening retail locations we anticipate carriers will recover from this volume overload and be able to resume guaranteed pick up volumes.
USPS Notice Regarding Civil Unrest (June 3, 2020)
For all customers shipping orders to the United States (via all USPS affiliated carriers) please be aware of the following notice we received this morning from the USPS:
The United States Postal Service has temporarily suspended the following postal units due to civil unrest until further notice:
Minneapolis, MN: Minnehaha Post Office 55406, Lake Street Post Office 55408, Powderhorn Post Office 55407, Industrial Post Office 55104
Chicago, IL: Henry McGee Post Office 60615 and 60653, Ogden Park Post Office 60636, Englewood Post Office 60621, Wicker Park Post Office 60607
La Mesa, CA: La Mesa Finance Station 91942
DHL eCommerce International Shipping Service Now Only Available for Orders Shipping to the United States (May 21, 2020)
DHL eCommerce no longer allows the processing of DHL eCommerce International shipping to any country outside of the United States. Any attempt to process an order using this service returns the following error: " Due to COVID-19 we cannot process."
Please do not import any orders into our system with a destination outside of the USA until further notice.
Canada Post Status of the Network Announcement (May 1, 2020)
Canada Post issued the following announcement regarding processing delays for May:
From a delivery standpoint, parcels are heading out of our facilities for delivery in record numbers. Each delivery day is like peak season. The last two weeks have been busy, starting with close to 2 million parcels delivered on the Monday. We have added weekend deliveries in markets where warranted. The physical-distancing measures we’ve put in place with Knock, Drop and Go have simplified delivery which has been helpful in moving record amounts of parcels.
On the processing side, we continue to make adjustments, but record incoming volumes combined with physical-distancing measures – in place from the time the parcels enter the plant to the time they leave – have slowed our operations. These are important safety measures implemented and followed in facilities that were never designed to keep people more than 2 metres apart. We expect these measures to remain in place for the foreseeable future while we continue to process heavy incoming parcel volumes. We are therefore focused on evaluating further changes within this new reality that keep safety at the forefront while providing more stability in our network and greater predictability for customers.
Processing update:
- Toronto (Gateway) is still managing high volumes of parcels and is experiencing delays of up to 7 days.
Canada Post Video and Announcement (April 24, 2020)
Canada Post issued the following video and announcement regarding operational processing delays:
https://www.facebook.
Canada Post Announcement (April 24, 2020)
Canada Post issued the following announcement directly to InterFulfillment regarding parcel pick-up delays:
Canada Post is working hard to respond to a significant increase in parcel volumes, putting the safety of our people, and our customers, first. Significant increases in parcel volumes, combined with important safety measures like physical distancing in our plants, means it is taking longer to process than usual. We have been proactive in communicating this unique situation and the delays it is causing to customers across the country.
To ensure we can continue to serve our customers while putting safety first, we are having to make some difficult short-term decisions to responsibly manage the situation. At Gateway, our main parcel processing facility in the GTA, our yards are at capacity with product awaiting unloading for processing. As a result, we have decided to suspend pickups performed by Maritime Ontario on behalf of Canada Post in the GTA for customers including 5-ton pickups and tractor-trailers for the next three days (Friday, Saturday and Sunday). We will continue to process throughout the weekend on all three shifts. Based on our ability to process, clear the lots and open up space over the weekend, we will assess the situation and determine the most appropriate pickup strategy for Monday. We will keep you updated on our go-forward plans.
We are all operating in very unique circumstances and understand that customers are having to undergo major changes in their business. We are therefore working to be fair and transparent in our approach as we work to respond in a responsible manner. We apologize for this short-term issue and will continue to keep you updated to help you serve your customers
UPS Announcement (April 24, 2020)
UPS 'Spike' Pick-Up Postponed Until April 27th
UPS has announced a delay in 'Spike' pick-ups. Our spike pick-up scheduled for today (April 24th) has been rescheduled for Monday (April 27th).
UPS Announcement (March 26, 2020)
Suspension of Small Package Service Guarantee
Effective March 26, 2020 and until further notice, we have suspended the UPS Service Guarantee for all shipments to any destination, at all service levels. As the effects of the Coronavirus impact our infrastructure, we will continue to seek guidance from local and national government entities regarding applicable regulations. Please continue to visit ups.com's Coronavirus web page for the most up-to-date information regarding the impact of Coronavirus on UPS Small Package services. The UPS Service Guarantee is subject to change. For further details, see the UPS Tariff/Terms and Conditions of Service.
DHL eCommerce Announcement (March 25, 2020)
The following update was issued by DHL eCommerce regarding delivery restrictions and delays for international shipments:
Due to the severity of the COVID-19 outbreak, there are widespread airline cancellations and restrictions into affected areas. As a result, please note below the countries to which service has been suspended or partially suspended, as well as additional important information regarding our international services. Please note, delays are being experienced to all international destinations.
For more information regarding this update, please click here: DHL eCommerce Solutions COVID-19 International Service Update
InterFulfillment Announcement (March 24, 2020)
In an effort to contain COVID-19 our provincial government of Ontario has issued an order that all non-essential business operations be suspended. For the time being, many supply-chain fulfillment operations such as our own have been permitted to stay operational.
For more information on essential Ontario businesses, please visit: https://www.ontario.ca/
InterFulfillment Announcement (March 24, 2020)
As the situation caused by COVID-19 quickly evolves have been working diligently with the goal to keep our employees safe and facilities secure all while continuing to offer the same reliable order fulfillment services you have come to expect. However, due to circumstances out of our control, going forward and until further notice, we will not be able to meet typical turnaround times for most services outlined in our Service-Level Agreement.
These services include Order Fulfillment, Inventory Receiving and Returns Processing.
DHL eCommerce Announcement (March 19, 2020)
The following statement was issued by DHL eCommerce regarding delivery restrictions and delays for international shipments:
Due to the severity of the COVID-19 outbreak, there are widespread airline cancellations and restrictions into the affected areas.
DHL eCommerce Solutions has temporarily suspended shipments destined to China, Hong Kong (with exception of DHL Parcel International Direct), Macao, Moldova, Peru and Kuwait. Packages received in one of our distribution centers (DCs) destined to China, Hong Kong and Macao will be returned to you at your expense (with exception of Hong Kong as previously described). We will hold packages destined to Moldova, Peru and Kuwait in our DCs until further notice.
There are significant delays across the globe: Australia, France, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, and United Kingdom.
As announced, the U.S - Canadian border will temporarily close for non-essential traffic. Please note however, this does not affect trade, therefore shipments to/from Canada will continue to move at this time.
Canada Post Announcement (March 18, 2020)
The following statement was issued by Canada Post regarding delivery times:
As Canada Post continues to operate during this unprecedented situation, we expect to face ongoing challenges. We are prepared to adapt to the rapidly changing circumstances around COVID-19, including implementing our contingency plans that will enable us to serve our customers in communities across Canada.
As a result of potential impacts related to our local facilities and air transportation, we are letting you know that effective today (March 18) Canada Post will be suspending our On-time Delivery Guarantees for all parcel services, until further notice. This means that some residents and businesses may begin to experience slower than normal delivery times.
NOTE: For the latest Canada Post information regarding mail delivery interruptions, please visit Canada Post's Service Alerts and International Mail Service Suspension pages.
InterFulfillment Announcement (March 13, 2020)
Customer pick-ups and on-site facility tours suspended. The health and safety of our employees are of paramount importance to us. As a precautionary measure to help keep our facilities and employees safe from contamination, we have suspended all customer order pick-ups and on-site tours until further notice.
Carrier Restrictions and Delays (March 13, 2020)
For information regarding current carrier restrictions and delays, please visit: COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Carrier Delays and Restrictions
If you would like the latest information regarding a specific carrier or service, please visit their official website announcements. We will work to keep our article updated as new information regarding carrier services becomes available.