The following statement has been released by Robin Silvester, President & CEO, Port Metro Vancouver:
"The governments of Canada and British Columbia and Port Metro Vancouver have reached agreement with members of Unifor and the United Truckers Association to end the 28-day trucker work disruption. We are pleased that an agreement has been reached and are looking forward to truckers returning to work.
The Joint Action Plan has been revised in recognition of the concerns voiced by container truck owner/operators. This comprehensive plan includes significant initiatives and actions with specific targets over the coming months. There is a lot of work to do, and we are committed to implementing changes rapidly to bring stability to the industry, prevent undercutting of agreed rates, diminish wait times, and prevent future disruptions.
We anticipate it will take some time for traffic at the port’s four container terminals to return to normal operations as terminal operators work to clear the backlog of containers that move by truck. Truck drivers, shippers and customers should expect longer than normal waits in the coming weeks as a result.
It is important to note that backlogs are specific to the movement of containers by truck. Containers have continued to move by rail to and from container terminals, while goods moving in Port Metro Vancouver’s other business sectors, including bulk, break bulk and automobiles, have been relatively unaffected by the trucking dispute.
The impacts of this ongoing dispute have been significant for Canadian families, businesses and our international customers. We thank all stakeholders for their patience during these past weeks and as we move forward in the coming months with the changes outlined in the Joint Action Plan."