Canada Post Package Not Delivered: What to do?

Canada Post is a reputed courier service company that excels in door-to-door delivery. But at times, the company might encounter certain delivery issues. And that may lead to delays in delivery or result in the package not being delivered at all.

However, there are ways to solve the problem. But for that, you need to understand the issue first. 

Don’t panic, for we are here with this article to walk you through it. Read it carefully so that you don’t have to face any delivery issues with Canada Post in the future.

So, without further ado, let’s go!


The Scenarios for Canada Post Package Not Delivered

Canada post mailbox besides dustbin with heavy snow

To solve the mishap of Canada Post not delivering, you must first know the exact scenario behind it. So, find out which of the following scenario fits the situation for the delivery issue:

List of Scenarios for Canada Post Not Delivered your package

Wrong or Incomplete Delivery Address

Sometimes, it so happens that the delivery address as specified to Canada Post was either wrong or incomplete or was missing information. In that case, the company won’t be able to deliver the item to its correct address and hold the item at the warehouse.

Canada Post doesn’t allow address correction once the mail is shipped, making the parcels with missing address information undelivered. 

Tracking Status Marks Delivered, But Item Not Received

Sometimes you may find that your tracking status indicates that the item was delivered, yet you have not received it. There might be several reasons for this like it was delivered somewhere else or received by someone else. That’s probably why the company marks it as delivered while you haven’t received it yet.

Package Failed to Arrive at the Expected Date

Another situation can be that the package has failed to arrive on the expected delivery date. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the parcel got lost on the way. It perhaps means that the item’s delivery is temporarily delayed due to some unforeseen circumstances encountered during its transit. 


Solving the Issues

Once you understand which of the following scenario fits your situation, it’s time to solve the issue of Canada Post not being delivered.
Let’s have a look at them one by one:

Wrong or Incomplete Delivery Address

When this happens, the package either gets delivered to the wrong address or is returned to the sender.
A parcel is returned to the sender under the following circumstances:

  • Missing information or incomplete address.
  • The address doesn’t exist.
  • The recipient has moved to a new location without providing any forwarding address or changing the address at Canada Post.
  • The recipient has refused to take the package.
  • The recipient didn’t pay for the COD orders.
  • The parcel doesn’t have enough postage.

If it gets delivered to the wrong address, the recipient or the sender can reach out to the wrong addressee and work it out among them.

In case it gets returned to the sender, it’s the sender’s sole responsibility to get the parcel delivered to the recipient. The sender might be required to pay return charges depending on the mail type. 

Tracking Status Marks Delivered, But Item Not Received

When your tracking status says delivered, it usually means that the Canada Post delivery was a successful one. However, if you haven’t received your item, then it might mean that:

  1. Either someone else has received it on your behalf
  2. Or it was delivered somewhere else?
    • In the case of the first one, the easiest solution is to ask your family members if they received the package while you were away. You can check the same with your neighbor too. Also, if you can see the recipient’s signature on the Tracking system, try to identify who it is and then ask the person about your parcel.

In case it was delivered somewhere else, here is what you can do:

Find out if your address falls under those that don’t allow direct deliveries to your door. If so, find out the nearby front desk, mailroom, or a safe drop location that’s used as a second location for such addresses.

Find out if the package was delivered at any of the following locations:

  • Mailroom or front desk of your office.
  • With the security person of your office or apartment.
  • In your post-box or parcel locker.
  • In the community mailbox of your apartment.
  • At a safe location near the address on household premises.

If you fail to locate your package with any of the above solutions, just contact the courier company and allow them at least 24 hours to update you with the information on the final delivery.

If the company made a mistake (which is rarely the case), contact them immediately, and they will have the issue solved.

Package Failed to Arrive at the Expected Date

This isn’t a serious phenomenon to lose your sleepover. Packages can get delayed due to unavoidable circumstances that a courier company might encounter. 

There is nothing much to do about it except to use the tracking device of Canada Post to stay updated on the location of your parcel. Usually, with Canada Post tracking, you can get either a Red Alert or a Yellow Alert to inform you about any delayed delivery due to weather conditions.

  • Red Alert means that the Delivery is suspended for the time being.
  • Yellow Alert suggests that the company is trying its best to deliver, but still, there might be some delays.

All you need to do is keep an eye on these alerts and other delivery interruptions that your package may suffer. It will spare you unnecessary worries about Canada Post not being delivered.

P.S.: To avail of the Tracking Tool, make sure that you use only those special mailing services of Canada Post that allow tracking. If the tracker is not working as expected then you should talk to a customer care agent to discuss the matter.


Why does Canada Post Suspend Deliveries?

Two mailboxes around lots of snow ranging from 1 to 12

One of the major reasons Canada Post suspends its deliveries is harsh weather conditions like snowstorms or blizzards. 

The company values the safety of its employees and prioritizes the security of its customer’s deliverables. Hence, when there is a danger weather-wise, Canada Post suspends its delivery process for that particular destination.

That way, they can maintain the safety of both their employees and the packages they are supposed to deliver. 


What Happens to the Undeliverable Mails of Canada Post?

The undeliverable mail from Canada Post is usually returned to the sender if the company has a valid return address.
Otherwise, the packages are opened, and they have to face the following consequences:

  • If the item is of no great value, it gets destroyed.
  • If it contains valuable merchandise and the company can track the owner’s address, they mail it to them. Else, they price it accordingly and sell it to the addressee. If none of it is possible, the item is disposed of off.
  • If the package contains cash, it is deposited at the Canada Post Credit. Later, if they can find a forwarding address, they convert the cash to Postal Money Order and have it forwarded to the rightful owner.
  • If the parcel contains something prohibited by the law, it’s disposed of immediately.

Why is Canada Post Not Delivering Packages?  

If you feel that Canada Post is no longer delivering packages, you are certainly mistaken. The reason why it might seem that Canada Post has stopped delivering might be:

Six trucks of Canada Post
  • Due to some reasons, the particular carrier in your area is not delivering the parcels. You can contact the customer service of Canada Post to let them know of the issue and get it solved.
  • If your delivery location has a lot of traffic issues, then your carrier might find it unsafe to proceed with the delivery. In that case, they leave a card on your door to inform you about the delivery attempt made. You can easily solve the issue by contacting them.
  • You live at a place that doesn’t allow direct delivery at the door but has a Community Mailbox to handle it. In that case, the carrier will deliver your packages there, and you can contact the carrier to confirm it and search for your parcel at the community mailbox.
  • Someone else from your family or neighborhood received your package on your behalf and failed to inform you about it. Ask around and see if that’s the case.

Conclusion:

The Canada Post is a reputed company that rarely misses its delivery. Still, suppose you encounter any problem regarding Canada Post not being delivered. In that case, all you need to do is identify the exact scenario that fits your situation and solve it using the tips we suggested in the article.

Avatar for Charles Helms

Charles Helms is the owner and head writer of the well-known platform TrackingAdvice. With a career as an Operations Manager and over a decade of first-hand experience working with major courier shipping companies, Charles has the knowledge to help you to solve shipping and packaging-related queries.

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