It may not seem like an agriculture issue, but work stoppages at Canada’s West Coast ports in 2023 and 2024 lasted a combined 24 days and affected many agriculture exports including wheat.
Canada’s growing trade dispute with the United States is creating significant uncertainty for businesses, investors and consumers. As the country works to strengthen trade relationships and diversify its international markets, reliable supply chains and greater labour stability have become increasingly important.
Federally Regulated Employers – Transportation and Communications (FETCO) and its members are calling on the federal government to make urgent changes to the Canada Labour Code.
As previously reported on Farms.com, the organization says the proposed amendments should include the creation of a special mediator, as recommended by the government-commissioned Industrial Inquiry Commission on West Coast Ports, along with constitutionally valid measures to prevent strikes that could seriously affect the national public interest.
“A trade deal is only as good as our ability to deliver on it,” said Derrick Hynes, President and CEO of FETCO. “The recent WestJet dispute showed exactly how fast labour conflict can hit consumers and businesses – and how a single disruption in a critical industry can spiral into a national economic crisis overnight. This isn’t an isolated incident. We’ve seen the same pattern play out in our ports and our railways, year after year.”
Labour disruptions have already demonstrated their impact. Work stoppages at Canada’s West Coast ports in 2023 and 2024 lasted a combined 24 days and affected cargo valued at approximately $19.2 billion. A complete rail shutdown could reportedly cost the economy an estimated $341 million every day.
Statistics Canada data also indicates that more than 1.1 million person-days were lost to labour disputes annually, on average, during the past three years. Each disruption can affect businesses, agricultural producers, workers and consumers, while also threatening the movement of essential goods and weakening Canada’s reputation as a dependable trading partner.
FETCO says the federal government has recognized the issue and is moving toward solutions. Hynes believes legislative changes could encourage employers and unions to resolve disputes through negotiations rather than costly work stoppages.
“These changes will increase the likelihood that employers and unions reach a deal themselves, at the table, avoiding costly, unnecessary disruption,” said Hynes. “They’re practical steps that strengthen supply chain reliability and increase trade with our partners around the world, at a moment of real economic headwinds.”
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