July 17, 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EDMONTON, AB – A tentative four-year deal was reached on July 13 between employers and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) to end the 13-day strike.

Operations have resumed but the agreement still needs to be ratified by both sides, therefore no details about the terms have been made public, according to a statement from the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA).

The strike upended operations at two of Canada’s three busiest ports, the Port of Vancouver and the Port of Prince Rupert, and risked worsening inflation. For 13 days 7500 workers were unable to go to work and $800 million in daily trade was interrupted. All of this could have been avoided if the government could have proactively worked with the parties to find a solution.

This tentative deal does not signal a return to normal port operations yet. Canada’s supply chains will be significantly affected by the weeks-long backlog resulting from this government failure.