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EDMONTON — A surge in Internet cross-border shopping by Canadians trying to cash in on the soaring loonie is creating headaches for consumers, border agents and Canada Post.
There are already complaints of delivery delays as mail sorting centres try to dig out from heaps of Canadian Internet orders from the U.S. — and the holiday shopping season is barely under way.
Officials say the volume of parcels has choked three main international mail-sorting centres operated by Canada Post and the Canada Border Service agency in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal.
There are reports of parcels from the United States languishing for days and even weeks at the centres before being released for delivery.
Bruce Cran of the Consumers' Association of Canada says he is getting plenty of complaints and is warning that the backlog is going to get worse.
Canada Post and the border service agency say they are working to speed up service and are urging consumers who plan to cross-border shop for the holidays via the Internet to place orders as early as possible.
