Ports set to shut down across British Columbia

A strike at ports across British Columbia looks set to proceed from 8 am local time today as no deal has been reached between unions and employers to renew a collective agreement that expired in March 2023.

The B.C. Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) released a final offer on Saturday, which was quickly dismissed by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 514. 

Federal mediators have been on hand to try and thrash out a deal to ensure the province’s ports – including Canada’s largest, Vancouver – do not halt operations today. 

The BCMEA issued a formal notice on Friday of its intention to defensively lock out all ILWU Local 514 members from 8 am today. 

A 13-day strike across British Columbia ports last year cost the national economy hundreds of millions of dollars and was only stopped when the federal government stepped in.

Meanwhile, on the other side of Canada, there continues to be industrial unrest between employers and workers at Montreal, the nation’s second-largest port.