BC Strike Affects Many Across the Country

A truck is seen in front of shipping containers at the Port of Vancouver in a file photo. The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck

For prairie farmers like Bill Prybylski, the strike at ports in B.C. is frustrating.

While the strike, which entered its fourth day Tuesday, is not expected to affect bulk shipments of grains—like loading up a freighter with wheat—it will still affect a variety of other agricultural products, such as specialty crops like mustard and peas being sent overseas in shipping containers.

“Any delays in shipping means delays in getting paid for what the producers are growing and selling. So any lengthy strike is just going to be that much more of a financial hardship,” Prybylski, who is a vice president with the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan, told The Epoch Times.

He added the lack of control is also frustrating.

“There’s been a significant amount of supply chain issues in the past few years for various reasons,” he said. “It just seems like there’s one thing after another—just when things start looking like they are going to be getting better, there’s something else that gets thrown into the mix … we have no control over it, but we suffer the effects of it.”

Prybylski is not alone.

The strike by some 7,400 port workers in B.C. shows little sign of ending quickly.

And that’s raising concern for business groups across the country, because West Coast ports, especially Vancouver and Prince Rupert, are a big part of the country’s economic lifeblood.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce estimates about $800 million in goods goes through West Coast ports every day—shipments that are vital to businesses big and small in much of the country.

The Chamber is bluntly calling for Ottawa to intervene.

“The government should immediately recall Parliament to pass back-to-work legislation to protect the livelihoods of Canadian workers,” Vice President Robin Guy said in a statement, calling on the government  “to prevent further disruption to Canada’s supply chains and limit the impact on Canadians who are bearing the cost of inflationary pressures.”

What’s at stake is the loading and unloading of a host of goods, from home goods and electronics to clothing, lumber, automobiles, and some agri-foods.

With workers on strike, goods are waiting to be unloaded from ships, or piling up on the docks waiting to be shipped out.

The lumber industry is one example. Lumber producers across western Canada ship lumber to customers overseas through B.C. ports. Now they are starting to look at other options—options that could cost them time and money, in an industry that supports thousands of jobs.

“Transport companies will be working with their customers to make alternate arrangements where possible to move products to other ports if necessary,” Liz Kovach, president of the Western Retail Lumber Association, said in a statement sent to The Epoch Times. “It’s a little early to tell what exactly it will be,” she added.

The Port of Vancouver estimates that $305 billion of goods pass through the port each year—while Prince Rupert, the next biggest port, handles around $60 billion of goods annually.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) said getting shipments of goods on time is crucial for the survival of many businesses.

“It’s important to remember that strike-related delays can be costly for small businesses, which could lose sales as a result. Some businesses may lose inventory if perishable goods are not unloaded and brought to market quickly … Contracts are also at risk if goods are not delivered or received on time,” the CFIB said in a statement.

Politicians are also keeping an eye on the situation.

On July 3, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith posted on Twitter: “This strike action has the potential to cause substantial economic harm on families and businesses across Canada, including here in Alberta. Our government is monitoring the situation and echoes the concerns of various business groups on the negative impact this will have on the Canadian economy, including increased inflationary pressures on consumers.”

Approximately 30 ports in total on the West Coast are being affected by the strike.

For the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada, key issues include cost of living, automation, and the contracting out of work. The union remains at odds with the employer, the BC Maritime Employers Association.

On July 4, federal Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan posted on Twitter that federal mediators remain willing to help both sides get back to bargaining.

“We encourage both parties to immediately return to the bargaining table and remain there until a deal is reached. Collective bargaining is hard work but it’s how the best, most resilient deals are made,” O’Regan said in the tweet.