Canada Orders Independent Review of Vancouver Port Trucking Issues
Canada’s federal government has appointed an independent expert to review the issues that have caused some truck drivers at Port Metro Vancouver to stop working and may cause even more to step off the job.
Minister of Transport Lisa Raitt said in a March 6 statement that Vince Ready would conduct the review. Ready mediated a trucker strike at the port in 2005.
“The continuing success of Port Metro Vancouver strengthens the Canadian economy,” Raitt said. “We will make every effort to enhance Port Metro Vancouver’s well-deserved reputation as an efficient and competitive gateway, so it can continue to contribute to the prosperity of all Canadians.”
Port Metro Vancouver is Canada’s largest freight port, having handled 135 million metric tons of cargo in 2013.
On Feb. 26, about 1,200 nonunion truckers stopped working to protest low wages and long wait times. The union representing an additional 400 truckers voted March 2 to authorize a strike.
Port officials have promised to work with the trucking industry toward solving the complaints.
Ready has been instructed to present his conclusions on the work stoppage to the federal and British Columbia governments by May 30.
