Canada Post CEO Takes the Hot Seat on Parliament Hill
Ottawa's House of Commons committee chambers saw some pointed questioning this week as Canada Post CEO Doug Ettinger appeared before MPs to account for what he called "a tough two years" for small businesses that rely on the crown corporation's delivery services.
Ettinger offered a direct apology to the small business community — a rare public gesture from the head of a federal Crown corporation — and signalled that change is coming in how Canada Post prices its services for independent retailers and entrepreneurs.
"I wanted to apologize to small businesses for the tough time over the last two years," Ettinger told the committee, acknowledging that the crown corporation's recent struggles had a real and tangible impact on the businesses that depend on reliable, affordable parcel delivery to survive.
What 'Strategic Pricing' Actually Means
The phrase "strategic pricing" is doing a lot of work in Ettinger's messaging, but the gist is this: Canada Post is looking at how it structures rates for small and medium-sized businesses, with an eye toward making itself a more competitive and trustworthy partner compared to private couriers like UPS, FedEx, and Purolator.
For Ottawa small businesses — whether it's a Glebe boutique shipping handmade goods across Canada or a Kanata tech startup fulfilling e-commerce orders — the past couple of years have been a grind. A prolonged labour dispute in late 2023 and into 2024 left packages in limbo and forced many small operators to scramble for alternative shipping solutions, often at significantly higher cost.
The promise of better pricing is welcome news, but Ottawa's small business community will be watching closely to see whether the words translate into action.
Local Businesses Still Feeling the Aftershocks
Many Ottawa small business owners quietly moved a significant portion of their shipping volume to private couriers during the labour disruptions, and winning that business back won't be easy. Trust, once broken, takes time to rebuild — and competitive pricing is just one piece of the puzzle.
Reliability, tracking transparency, and consistent delivery windows matter just as much as rates, particularly for businesses that have built customer expectations around fast, predictable shipping.
For Ottawa's growing community of online sellers, artisan makers, and independent retailers, the question isn't just whether Canada Post can offer better prices — it's whether the crown corporation can demonstrate the operational stability that small businesses need to confidently route their shipments through it again.
What Comes Next
Ettinger's appearance before the committee is part of a broader conversation in Ottawa about the future of Canada Post, which has faced mounting pressure to modernize and adapt as letter mail volumes continue their long decline and parcel delivery becomes the dominant business.
The federal government has been studying Canada Post's mandate and financial structure, and the CEO's public commitment to small business-friendly pricing suggests the corporation understands that earning back this segment is critical to its long-term viability.
For now, Ottawa small businesses will be watching the rollout of any new pricing frameworks carefully — and hoping that this time, the promises stick.
Source: Ottawa Citizen
