The premiers of Ontario and Quebec are calling on both sides in the St. Lawrence Seaway strike to reach a deal right away, saying the shutdown of the vital trade artery risks significant harm to the region’s economy.
In a joint statement Thursday, Doug Ford and Francois Legault said they were pleased the two parties were set to return to the negotiating table alongside federal mediators Friday, but urged Ottawa to use whatever tools it has on hand to bring about a resolution should an agreement fail to emerge immediately.
The job action by 361 Unifor members at 13 of the 15 locks along the waterway kicked off Sunday, shutting it down immediately. Wages are the key sticking point in the dispute.
Ford and Legault say they cannot have a repeat of the B.C. port workers strike, which halted the flow of goods for 13 days in July.
They warn that businesses and people across the country will soon feel the ripple effects of the current disruption, with tens of millions of dollars in economic activity lost every day.
The seaway, which runs for 300 kilometres between Lake Erie and Montreal, carried $16.7 billion worth of cargo last year, much of it grain, iron ore, stone and road salt.