Thousands of ballots for British Columbia’s Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) referendum were being stored in post offices after Canada Post locked out its urban employees across the country June 15.
Elections BC has prepared a contingency plan for post office disruptions, as officials try to get more than three million ballots delivered to homes across the province by June 24.
Federal Labour Minister Lisa Raitt told CTV on June 15 that since Canada Post service disruptions have moved from rotating strikes to a complete shutdown, the Tory government will consider introducing back-to-work legislation. The strikes have cost Canada Post an estimated $1 million in lost revenue, and before the lockout, management reduced urban mail delivery to three days a week.
On June 15, Craig James, B.C.’s acting chief electoral officer at Elections BC, said no changes to the referendum timetable were being contemplated “at this time.”
If the post office dispute drags into next week, Elections BC has the option to push back the deadline for returning completed ballots beyond the current date of July 22.
Elections BC officials said they will adjust their schedule if necessary to give voters the same amount of time to consider how they will vote.
Ballot packages went in the mail on June 13 to regions outside Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. They were scheduled to go out to those areas starting June 20.
Voters who receive their ballots can return them to one of 60 Service B.C. (formerly government agent) offices around the province instead of putting them in the mail.
