Details about ShipStation's Canada Post integration. Includes requirements, connection process, features, integration notes, and troubleshooting.
ShipStation is a dedicated Canada Post partner! We allow users to get rates and to create both domestic and international shipping labels for Canada Post shipments.
Use ShipStation with either a Canada Post Commercial or SFSB (Solutions for Small Business) account and you can create manifests for your outbound shipments.
Canada Post Service Delays
Canada Post is experiencing delays due to staff shortages caused by the rapid spread of the new COVID-19 OMICRON variant.
The situation is constantly changing and our vendors continue to adapt as best they can. Canada Post has mentioned that they may have to take certain measures such as the short term closures of some post offices and reducing the hours of operation.
At the moment these are only contingency plans, however they may be implemented across the country in the coming weeks.
Connection Requirements:
An active Commercial or Small Business account with Canada Post.
Your Canada Post account login credentials.
Manifest Requirements:
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Commercial account holders are required to manifest each day's shipments. Failure to manifest shipments may result in additional monthly invoice fees.
Create manifests directly in ShipStation using the End of Day process. Then each day when you drop off your Shipments, provide the Canada Post driver or Canada Post counter person with a physical copy of the manifest.
Small Business accounts have no manifest requirements.
To connect your Canada Post account to ShipStation:
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Select the Canada Post tile and click Connect.
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Select whether you have a Solutions for Small Business or Commercial account type.
Note
If connecting a Commercial account, you must have a Business Profile created for Canada Post. See Create a Canada Post Business Profile for details.
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Click Connect.
You'll be redirected to Canada Post to complete the connection.
Log in to Canada Post (if needed).
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Choose your Method of Payment and click Continue.
Note
If you have a Solutions for Small Business account, you must choose Use saved credit card.
If you have a Commercial account, you must choose Pay by Account. If you do not see this method, you must Create a Canada Post Business Profile.
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Click Agree and Continue to agree to the Terms and Conditions.
To connect a Canada Post Commercial account to ShipStation, you must have created a Business Profile in Canada Post that uses your commercial contract number. If you have used your Commercial Canada Post account with another shipping provider, it's likely you have already created this. However, if you're new to Canada Post or recently upgraded from a Solutions for Small Business account, you'll need to create a new user profile that uses the contract information.
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Go to the Canada Post business login page and click Sign Up.
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Choose a new Username, enter your current Customer Number and Postal Code/Zip Code, then enter the Verification Code. Click Sign Up to proceed.
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Enter your current Agreement Number, and click Agree and Continue.
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Fill out the required Profile Information. This information can be the same as the information in your original account profile. Click Agree and Continue once complete.
Review the information you entered, then click Save.
ShipStation's integration with Canada Post supports these standard features:
ShipStation's integration with Canada Post allows for the following additional features:
Feature |
Description |
|---|---|
Supports Scheduled Pickups in the ShipStation app. |
ShipStation lets you schedule a pickup time between 15:00 - 18:00 hrs (3:00 PM - 6:00 PM). Pickup times will display in 15-minute increments. TipWhen scheduling a pickup request, set the end-time to be no later than 17:45 hrs (5:45 PM). Canada Post does not accept a pickup window end-time of exactly 18:00 hrs (6:00 PM). |
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Manifests:
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If you use a Commercial Canada Post account, you must manifest your shipments!
You can create manifests directly in ShipStation using our End of Day process. You can then provide Canada Post with a physical copy of the manifest.
Manifests are not required for Solutions for Small Business accounts.
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Voiding Labels:
Manifested labels cannot be voided in ShipStation. However, you can void them in your Commercial Canada Post account.
If you want to void an unmanifested label, you must wait 60 minute to do so.
Canada Post return labels are only available to Commercial account holders. Return labels cannot be voided, cannot include carrier insurance, and will always require Signature confirmation.
Canada Post uses a specific formula called 'Volumetric Equivalent of Actual Weight'. This accounts for the weight and dimensions of the package and charges for the shipment based on volume when applicable.
ShipStation does not electronically submit customs documentation for international shipments. You must print and include any necessary customs documents with your shipments.
Canada Post does not support printing store logos on its labels.
Canada Post supports Label Message 1 & 2. Label Message 3 will not appear on Canada Post labels.
The Card for Pickup confirmation option is not available currently.
You may incur extra fees if you drop-off packages at a deposit location that is not considered to be your nearest drop-off location. Use the Canada Post Find a Deposit Location tool to find your nearest deposit location.
Special characters can prevent label creation. You may need to remove special characters such as & @ ` ~ | ! % * < > to create the label.
ShipStation does not currently support creating multi-package shipments for Canada Post. You must instead split items into shipments to create multiple labels for an order.
Canada Post Commercial account created after May 1, 2021, will default to credit card payment. This change does not affect Canada Post Commercial accounts opened prior to this date.
Here are some common issues, potential causes, and troubleshooting tips.
Issue |
How to troubleshoot or resolve |
|---|---|
Error "Method of payment Account/Credit Card is not available" when creating shipping labels or closing shipments |
This error indicates that the payment method selected for the Canada Post integration is not valid, the credit card on file needs to be updated, or you have reached the credit limit of your account. To resolve this error, check your Canada Post account and make sure the credit card is up to date or there is still a balance on the Account payment method. If neither of the above is the problem, go to IMPORTANT: Be sure to close any open End of Day forms for your CP shipments before you update your billing information! |
End of Day error: A system error has occurred. Please try again later. If the problem persists, please contact the Canada Post help desk. |
This message appears in your Canada Post (CP) End of Day Feeds if you changed your billing info in your CP account prior to closing out your shipments for the day. If you have trouble closing CP shipments after changing your billing info, check the EOD feeds to see if this error is present anywhere. If it is, you must contact CP for assistance with closing those shipments. We also advise your to make sure all shipments for the day are closed prior to making any billing or account settings changes from within your CP account. If you changed account settings since the last time you created shipments, Canada Post does not allow you to manifest from a third-party application like ShipStation. Shipments created after the change should manifest without issue. |
Error "/rs/soap/shipment/v7: cvc-simple-type 1: element unit-weight value '0.000' is not a valid instance of the element type" when creating international shipments |
This error message occurs when ShipStation rounds the weight value for an international shipment and the calculation ends up with a value of 0. This can happen if you have a lightweight shipment that contains a customs line item that has a high quantity (such as a 100 gram package with a customs quantity of 500.) To resolve this issue, adjust your customs declaration so that the name reflects that it's a multi-pack but the quantity is only 1. For example, use "Pack of 500 Paperclips - Qty 1" instead of "Paperclips - Qty 500." |
Shipments lost when you change payment type. |
If you change the payment type, ensure EODs (End of Day forms or manifests) are closed prior to the change, or that day's shipments may be caught in a suspended or unfinished state. |
Error "Rejected by SLM Monitor" when creating a Canada Post label. |
This error occurs when the Canada Post servers throttle your Create Label request. You may also receive this error when there is a Canada Post server maintenance/outage. In either instance, if you receive this error, your best option is to wait a few minutes and try again. Typically, Canada Post allows 20 requests per minute. If you receive this error frequently, you can request a limit increase on your Canada Post account. |
Error "The label for this service cannot be rendered on the type of paper provided." |
The Priority Worldwide services labels are incompatible with ShipStation. To use Priority Worldwide services for a shipment, create the label from the Canada Post portal. To create the label in ShipStation, select a different service. |