39 more COVID-19 cases at Canada Post’s Mississauga site as CBSA staff pulled off job

By News Staff and The Canadian Press

Mandatory testing at a Canada Post facility in Mississauga has found 39 asymptomatic cases of COVID-19 in 72 hours.

Canada Post says 182 workers at the Dixie Road site have tested positive since January 1.

Spokesman Phil Legault says the latest cases were detected among workers who were asymptomatic or didn’t believe they had symptoms.

Testing of the entire shift was ordered by Peel Public Health (PPH) and began Jan. 19.

Legault says Canada Post is now offering voluntary testing to employees working outside the public health-identified shift.

“We plan to continue into next week with the ongoing guidance and support of PPH. We are also working closely with the union on this proactive approach and employee participation has been strong,” Legault said in a statement.

More than 4,500 people work at the Mississauga site.


RELATED: 121 Canada Post employees at Mississauga facility tested positive for COVID-19 since Jan. 1


“The plant continues to operate with a continued focus on physical-distancing, mandatory face coverings and other safety measures,” said Legault. “We continue to process heavy incoming parcel volumes, however customers should expect delays.”

Operations at the plant are also being affected by the walkout of around 100 Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) staff on Thursday night.

The agents are responsible for the inspection of every piece of incoming mail from outside Canada. Until those workers return, that sorting is on hold.

National President of the Customs and Immigration Union, Jean-Pierre Fortin, says CBSA management made the call to pull its workers over a dispute over just how many workers at the Gateway facility are actually infected with COVID-19.

Fortin says these inspectors cannot simply be replaced by other workers as it’s like screening people at airports; only they can do the job of inspecting all the incoming international mail.

“You’re talking about containers and containers of packages,” Fortin tells 680 NEWS, adding they won’t return until they trust the plant is safe.

“The impact will be immediate on the time of delivery on the packages and mail.”

Fortin adds he’s not sure how long it will take to resolve the dispute.

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