So the package finally arrived on Tuesday. They left it on the front step. Coincidentally the bill for UPS' brokerage “service” ($30) also arrived the same day, and from the evidence available, probably before the package. So I give the person at UPS who I've been calling about my package issue a call the next day while at work. She's taken aback, since UPS' tracking system still shows the package in Vancouver. She's confused and I'm miffed. So she says she'll look into it and that she's going to remove the brokerage bill from my account. A few minutes later she calls me back. Now she's miffed as well. Turns out that when she called the Vancouver terminal about the package on Friday, they still had it, despite them claiming that they didn't. So what did they do at Vancouver that Friday? Well they mailed the bill. The next day they gave the package a new tracking number (and didn't tell anyone about it) and shipped the package. So she now clears my entire bill (including the GST on the goods in the package) and says that she's going to take this up with her supervisor.

Will I use UPS again? Only if I have no other option, but I am glad that they have at least one person working there who at least tries.