🔴 DHL Express, Purolator, and Canada Post will apply peak season surcharges during the holiday period.

DHL Express and Canada Post do apply “peak‐season” or “demand / additional handling” style surcharges around the holiday period, and Purolator also uses a form of peak surcharge (especially for pieces needing special handling). Here’s a breakdown:

DHL Express

• In DHL’s 2025 service & rate guide for Canada, they state that “one or more Demand Surcharges will apply to shipments during a period of high demand,” which effectively covers the holiday / peak season period.  
• The “Demand Surcharge” is used by DHL in their terms and conditions.  
• Industry commentary suggests that DHL will apply these surcharges (per kg / per lb) during the period from October 1, 2025 through February 16, 2026, covering various Express services.  
• In the broader DHL / eCommerce side, they also have “peak surcharges” for selected timeframes depending on weight, zone, etc.  

So yes — expect DHL Express to impose extra charges during peak holiday periods (on top of regular surcharges like fuel, remote area, etc.).

Canada Post

• Canada Post’s 2025 Price Action / Rate Notice shows that Peak Season surcharges for additional handling (oversize / unpackaged items) and items that exceed Canada Post’s size / weight specifications (out-of-spec items) will remain in effect from November 3, 2025 to January 11, 2026.  
• Note that Canada Post’s surcharge is more targeted: it generally applies to additional handling and oversized / out-of-spec items (rather than all parcels across the board).  
• Their documentation says that they are not adjusting rates for many of the “options and surcharges” in 2025 (i.e. some of those extra fees remain the same as prior years)  

Thus, Canada Post does use a peak surcharge (for special handling / oversized / out-of-spec) during the holiday window, rather than a blanket “holiday premium” on all parcels.

Purolator

• Purolator explicitly has a “Peak Surcharges” section on their website.  
• Their policy states that one or more peak surcharge will apply to any shipment or piece traveling through their network during the specified peak period.  
• The surcharges are primarily tied to Special Handling types (i.e. shipments requiring additional handling, oversized, residential heavyweight, large package, over max limit).  
• For example, effective October 27, 2025 through January 18, 2026, the following peak surcharge rates apply (for pieces requiring special handling):
  
• Additional Handling, Oversized, Residential Heavyweight: CAD $6 per piece  
• Large Package: CAD $55 per piece  
• Over Maximum Limit: CAD $450 per piece  
• 
  
• Their terms and conditions allow Purolator to modify or extend peak periods at their discretion.  

So yes — Purolator does impose peak surcharges, though generally limited to special / non-standard shipments rather than all parcels.

Shopify has sent out the announcement to its Canadian merchants & entrepreneurs on Tuesday: