Frequently Asked Questions About Canada Post Services
What is the difference between Expedited Parcel and Xpresspost?
Speed and carbon-neutral shipping, and almost nothing else. Xpresspost is next business day locally and 2 to 3 days nationally; Expedited Parcel is 1 to 2 days locally and 2 to 8 days nationally. Xpresspost includes carbon-neutral shipping and Expedited Parcel does not. Everything else is the same: both carry the On-Time Delivery Guarantee, both include tracking and up to $100 liability coverage, both offer Deliver to Post Office, both are cubed at the same 5,000 density factor, and both cap at 30 kg. So the real question is whether you need the faster national standard, because Expedited Parcel is the cheaper way to get a guaranteed delivery date. Compare both on your route to see the actual price gap.
Is Xpresspost worth it over Regular Parcel?
It depends on whether you need the date to hold. Regular Parcel is the cheapest domestic service and includes tracking, but it is the only tier with no On-Time Delivery Guarantee, and Canada Post states that outside the guarantee its delivery standards are estimates only. Xpresspost is 2 to 3 business days nationally against Regular Parcel's 4 to 10, and it is guaranteed. If your date is flexible, Regular Parcel; if it is not, look at Expedited Parcel first, since it is guaranteed and cheaper than Xpresspost.
What is the difference between Priority and Xpresspost?
Priority is Canada Post's fastest domestic service, next business day locally and next day to 1 to 3 days nationally, against Xpresspost's next day locally and 2 to 3 days nationally. Both carry the On-Time Delivery Guarantee and both include carbon-neutral shipping. Priority buys you a tighter national window, so it is worth the step up only when the shipment is leaving the local area and the deadline is firm.
Which Canada Post services have a delivery guarantee?
Priority, Xpresspost and Expedited Parcel carry the On-Time Delivery Guarantee domestically, and Xpresspost - USA carries it on US shipments. Regular Parcel does not. Canada Post states that except where the guarantee applies, all delivery standards are estimates only and are not guaranteed, so on Regular Parcel the published 4 to 10 day national window is an expectation rather than a commitment.
How long does Canada Post take to the United States?
By Canada Post's published delivery standards: Xpresspost - USA is 2 and 3 business days, while Expedited Parcel - USA and Tracked Packet - USA are both 4 to 7 business days. Those are business days, so weekends and statutory holidays do not count, and they exclude time in customs. Canada Post also markets Xpresspost - USA as arriving "in as little as two days", which is the best case rather than the standard.
How long does International Parcel Surface really take?
4 to 12 weeks, which is Canada Post's own published delivery standard, not a worst case. It is the cheapest way to send something heavy abroad and it is genuinely a shipping timeframe rather than a courier one. If there is any deadline at all, International Parcel (Air) at 6 to 10 business days or Xpresspost - International at 4 to 7 is the safer choice. Compare what the faster option costs before committing to surface.
What is the weight limit on each Canada Post service?
Most parcel services cap at 30 kg (66 lb), including Priority, Xpresspost, Expedited Parcel, Regular Parcel, the USA parcel services and International Parcel. The exceptions are Small Packet and Tracked Packet, which stop at 2 kg (4.4 lb) in both US and international form. Dimension limits also tighten internationally: International Parcel allows no single dimension over 1.5 m against 2 m domestically. Some destinations set their own maximum below 30 kg, so the destination can be the binding limit rather than the service.
Is tracking included on all Canada Post parcel services?
On all four domestic services, yes, including Regular Parcel: online tracking, delivery updates by email and text, and reference number tracking are all included at no additional charge. The flexible delivery options differ though. Leave at Door, Do Not Safe Drop and Card for Pickup are available across all four domestic tiers, but Deliver to Post Office is offered only on Xpresspost and Expedited Parcel.
Which Canada Post services are carbon neutral?
Priority and Xpresspost include carbon-neutral shipping. Expedited Parcel and Regular Parcel do not. That makes Xpresspost the cheapest carbon-neutral option in the domestic line-up, and it is the one concrete difference between Xpresspost and Expedited Parcel beyond speed.
