Two years. Two summers of West Coast port shutdowns. One rail work stoppage that needed federal back-to-work intervention. Twenty-four days of disruption. $19.2 billion in cargo — including the structural steel, mechanical equipment, and building materials your projects depend on — stuck in limbo.
Our members have paid the price. Crews stood down. Schedules blown. Carrying costs piled up. And every delay has shown up in the cost of a home, a school, or a major project.
The federal government is now consulting on modernizing the Canada Labour Code. ICBA has filed our submission, signed by President Chris Gardner, urging Ottawa to use this opportunity to fix the problem before the next round of port and rail bargaining begins this fall.
We are asking for three things: new dispute-resolution mechanisms for nationally-significant deadlocks, geographic certification of unions at West Coast ports, and a special mediator to help parties land deals before they crater the supply chain.
Canada has what the world needs. We can't sell it if we can't ship it.
Read ICBA's full submission HERE.