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OTTAWA — Canada Post says it is experiencing Christmas-level parcel volumes as Canadians do more of their shopping online due to COVID-19.

The postal service says it delivered more than 1.8 million parcels to Canadians on Monday, similar to the biggest delivery days it sees during the holiday season.

READ MORE: Live updates on the coronavirus pandemic in Canada

Canada Post is advising customers to expect delays because it takes longer to process the heavy, incoming parcel volumes.

Delivery times are also being hampered by the physical distancing measures it has implemented at facilities that were not designed with COVID-19 in mind.

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To keep staff and customers safe, Canada Post is trying to reduce interactions during deliveries by asking employees to knock on doors or ring the bell, leave the item in the safest place available and then depart.

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Canada Post says the change eliminates the need for signatures at the door, speeds up delivery and has reduced the number of parcels sent to post offices for pickup.