B.C. port strike recovery will take ‘several months’: industry group

The strike that halted work at B.C.’s ports over the past couple of weeks has caused 'severe backlogs' that could take months to recover, a national trade group has warned.

The extended strike that halted work at B.C.’s ports over the past couple of weeks has caused “severe backlogs” that could take months to recover, a national trade group has warned.

Work resumed Thursday after the federal government reached a tentative deal with the B.C. Maritime Employers Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada.

The shutdown began on July 1 and ended on July 13.

The Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters said in a statement Thursday that the trade sector is not “out of the woods yet,” as the damage to manufacturing supply chains is “significant.”

The CME estimates that one day of port shutdown could take up to a week to make up for the lost activity.

“The (13) day-long strike has caused severe backlogs that will take weeks to process,” said CME, which represents 2,500 manufacturers from across Canada.

The strike has sent ripple effects from coast to coast.

A CME survey of its members conducted between July 11 and 13 found that nearly two-thirds of manufacturers in Canada said the strike affected their operations and among those hit, almost 70 per cent said the impact was “significant” to “severe.”