Service Canada has been holding off on mailing out 85,000 passports due to the labour dispute at Canada Post.

Employment and Social Development Canada said that "in anticipation of a potential labour disruption," Service Canada stopped mailing passport packages on Nov. 8 -- a week before Canada Post workers walked off the job.

Canada Post stopped delivering mail across the country on Nov. 15 when tens of thousands of postal workers went on strike over wages, working conditions and other issues.

The shutdown will affect millions of Canadians and businesses nationwide, just as the busy holiday season is getting underway.

Mila Roy, a spokesperson for Employment and Social Development Canada, said in a media statement on Tuesday that the passports will be sent to clients once the strike ends and mail service resumes.

"By holding residential mail several days in advance of a work stoppage, Service Canada has reduced the risk of having any passports held in Canada Post distribution centres," Roy said.

If a client mailed their passport application just before the start of the strike, Service Canada might not have received the application, Roy said.

"In these cases, Service Canada will not be able to process the application until mail service resumes," she said.

Canadians who already have submitted an application and need a passport urgently are being asked to contact the Passport Program at 1-800-567-6868 or make a request in person to have their passport transferred to a Service Canada centre that offers pick-up service.