Toronto, November 4, 2024 – The shutdown of BC ports will negatively impact many small- and medium-sized businesses across the country.
Just last year, the union paralyzed all BC ports, including Canada’s biggest port, for 13 days, affecting small businesses, their customers and trade partners, and leaving them to deal with the strike’s devastating consequences for months.
This work stoppage comes at the very same time as longshoremen at the Port of Montreal are on strike. Our economy and our SMEs need to be protected from these events that have been occurring way too often in recent years.
How many work stoppages like this one will it take for the government to realize that its current approach to labor relations is undermining the economy, Canada's reputation and hurting small businesses and their employees? The federal government must ensure BC ports remain fully operational during the current negotiation. Small businesses cannot bear the cost of another long strike or lockout. CFIB continues to call on government to make ports an essential service, so they remain operational at all times.
- Jasmin Guénette, Vice-President, National Affairs, CFIB
For media enquiries or interviews, please contact:
Dariya Baiguzhiyeva, CFIB
647-464-2814
public.affairs@cfib.ca
About CFIB
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is Canada’s largest association of small and medium-sized businesses with 97,000 members across every industry and region. CFIB is dedicated to increasing business owners’ chances of success by driving policy change at all levels of government, providing expert advice and tools, and negotiating exclusive savings. Learn more at cfib.ca.