Canada Post moves a huge share of Canadian ecommerce parcels, and its tracking wording trips people up at both ends: the first status, which looks like nothing is happening, and the delivery-notice statuses, which mean you need to do something. This guide explains each Canada Post status in order, and flags the few that need action.
Short answer: "Electronic information submitted" means the sender created the label and sent Canada Post the details, but the parcel has not been scanned in yet. "Item accepted," "in transit," and "item processed" are the parcel moving through the network. "Out for delivery" means it arrives today. "Delivered" is done. Watch for "delivery notice card left," "item held," and "attempted delivery," which mean you need to arrange collection or redelivery.
Canada Post statuses at a glance
| Status | What it means | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Electronic information submitted | Label created, not scanned yet | Wait |
| Item accepted / picked up | First scan, in the network | None |
| In transit / Item processed | Moving between facilities | None |
| Out for delivery | With the carrier today | None |
| Delivered | Done | Check if not received |
| Delivery notice card left | Missed you, collect or redeliver | Follow the card |
| Item held | Held at a post office / for a fee | Arrange collection |
| Attempted delivery | Could not deliver | Choose redelivery or pickup |
The normal Canada Post sequence
Electronic information submitted. The sender created the shipping label and sent Canada Post the parcel's data, but Canada Post has not physically scanned it yet. A label exists; the parcel may still be with the sender. If it lasts more than a business day, the parcel has not been handed over.
Item accepted / Picked up. First physical scan, at a post office or by a carrier. The parcel is now in the network.
In transit / Item processed. Moving between Canada Post facilities. On cross-country routes this repeats and can go quiet for a day or two, which is normal.
Out for delivery. With the carrier for delivery today. See what "out for delivery" means.
Delivered. Done, sometimes with a note on where it was left. If the customer does not have it, see package says delivered but not received.
The statuses that need action
Delivery notice card left / Attempted delivery. Canada Post tried and could not deliver. A card is left with instructions to collect from a post office or arrange redelivery. Follow the card or the tracking. Messaging the customer at this scan cuts avoidable WISMO tickets.
Item held. The parcel is held, often at a post office for collection, or pending a fee such as duties on an international parcel. See package stuck in customs if the hold is customs-related. There is a holding window before it returns to sender.
Return to sender. After failed attempts, an uncollected hold, or an undeliverable address, the parcel goes back. This should open your returns flow so the refund or reship happens while the parcel is still moving.
Why Canada Post's quiet worries shoppers (the merchant view)
Cross-country transit means "in transit" can sit for a day or two while the parcel is fine, and customers read the silence as trouble. Canada Post also words its milestones differently from every US and international carrier you use. Carriers emit anywhere from 10 to 115 distinct statuses each.
Pango normalizes Canada Post's statuses, along with USPS, UPS, DHL and 100+ other carriers, into one clean set of milestones on your branded tracking page, and can send a reassuring update during a normal quiet stretch, so a slow-scanning parcel does not read as a lost one. A held or delivery-notice status triggers a clear instruction to the customer automatically.
The bottom line
Most Canada Post statuses are normal movement, and its quiet cross-country stretches are the parcel travelling, not a problem. Watch for delivery-notice, held, and attempted-delivery statuses, which need you to collect or redeliver. For merchants, the fix is normalizing the feed and turning held statuses into clear instructions. See how it works on the post-purchase operations platform and book a demo.
