Nova ScotiaProvincial and municipal governments in Nova Scotia, as well as the health authority, are making changes to make sure people aren’t losing important information in transit as the Canada Post strike continues.Patients encouraged to call if they’re worried they’ll miss specialist appointmentsCarolyn Ray · CBC News · Posted: Oct 02, 2025 11:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours agoPeople who mailed in cheques to pay taxes to Halifax Regional Municipality are being told to call after Oct. 17 to confirm their payment arrived. (Alex Lupul/CBC)Provincial and municipal governments in Nova Scotia, as well as the health authority, are making changes to make sure people aren’t losing important information in transit as the Canada Post strike continues.Unionized employees walked off the job across the country on Thursday after the federal government instructed Canada Post to end home delivery and close some rural outlets.Pascal Rodier, the provincial director of emergency preparedness at Nova Scotia Health, says clinics are relying on phone calls to make sure no one misses appointment notices in the mail.”There is always a fear that some things have been stuck in transit, they’re stuck somewhere in the middle,” Rodier said.He suggested that patients with concerns reach out to the primary care provider who wrote their referral. Patients of programs within Nova Scotia Health can connect with that program as usual and ask questions. Rodier advised people to answer calls from blocked numbers in case they’re coming from health-care employees.Beginning Thursday, people who need to send correspondence to provincial departments can do so by dropping off their letters at Access Nova Scotia locations. (Paul Palmeter/CBC)The IWK Health Centre told CBC News it isn’t seeing significant operational impacts to its service delivery or supply chain. It said alternative methods are being used to communicate appointment and scheduled surgery notices to patients and families.”All clinical teams are doing follow up phone calls and reminders to patients for appointments. Some families who have provided consent to use email are being emailed their appointments as well. There is also a group of volunteers helping with phone calls,” the IWK said in a statement.The Nova Scotia Breast Screening Program uses Canada Post to send results letters directly to patients. Letters communicating normal results will not be sent until postal service resumes.The program said all normal and abnormal screening results will continue to be sent to primary care providers, through which patients can access their results. Patients who have an abnormal result and don’t have a primary care provider will be contacted by phone with the results and followup appointment information.Results can also be accessed through the YourHealthNS app two weeks after they’re finalized, the program said. Patients who’ve registered their email address with the program will receive appointment reminders by email.Meanwhile, the Nova Scotia government said anyone who needs to send correspondence to provincial departments can do so by dropping off their letters at Access Nova Scotia locations as of Thursday.It is also setting up a system where people will be able to receive their government letters at the same locations starting on Oct. 14.In a news release, the province said people must bring their identification in order to send or receive the letters. People cannot send packages or personal mail through Access Nova Scotia, nor can they send bill payments or mail directed to the federal government.HRM property taxes still due Oct. 31The postal strike also has Halifax Regional Municipality reminding people that their taxes are still due on Oct. 31.It said in a news release that people can sign up online to receive their property tax statements, an option it recommends to anyone who is concerned their bills are stuck in transit.Homeowners who have sent in their payments by cheque can call the municipality after Oct. 17 to make sure they have arrived. The city is encouraging people to pay using other methods including online banking or going to customer contact centres.Vendors waiting for payments from HRM can arrange in advance to get their money at municipal customer service centres.ABOUT THE AUTHORCarolyn Ray is a videojournalist who has reported out of three provinces and two territories, and is now based in Halifax. You can reach her at Carolyn.Ray@cbc.ca
Canada Post strike affects notices for taxes, health-care appointments in N.S.
