DHL Express Canada says it will shut down operations across the country amid a strike and lockout involving 2,100 truck drivers and other workers.
With the two sides at an impasse, the company says it will halt parcel deliveries starting June 20, the day federal legislation banning replacement workers takes full effect. Inbound packages to Canada will cease on Tuesday night.
On June 8, the German-owned carrier said it was rolling out a “contingency plan” that allowed it to keep serving its more than 50,000 customers, which range from retailer Lululemon to e-commerce giants Shein and Temu.
Spokeswoman Pamela Duque Rai had said in an email at the time that DHL did not expect “significant disruptions” to its service.
Unifor, which represents DHL truck drivers, couriers and warehouse and call centre employees, had warned against any steps to supplant unionized workers with temporary ones, with president Lana Payne saying the move would impose a chill on contract talks.
The upcoming shutdown adds to the labour turmoil in the parcel market, as Canada Post remains at loggerheads with 55,000 workers amid strained negotiations and an overtime ban imposed by the union last month.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 17, 2025.
