Cargo Shutdown Looms as Labour Disputes Threaten Canadian Economy

The next labour dispute is looming over Canada's ports and railways, threatening to bring the country's economy to a standstill. The collective agreement between Canadian National Railway and its railway workers expires at the end of this year, followed by the contract covering dockworkers at Canada's West Coast ports in three months.

This is not the first time labour disputes have caused chaos in Canada's transportation sector. In 2023, a strike shut down Canada's West Coast ports for 13 days, disrupting $10 billion in cargo. The following year, simultaneous work stoppages at CN and Canadian Pacific Kansas City halted rail service across the country.

When the railway stops, grain piles up with nowhere to go, elevators fill, bids disappear, and farmers can be left holding grain they cannot sell. Grain analyst Greg Kostal says that within weeks, the damage can become irreversible. Trucks cannot make up the difference, making it like trying to empty a bathtub with a spoon.

The consequences of these stoppages can last long after the dispute ends. In 2025, Saskatchewan-based Nutrien chose Longview, Wash., over Canadian locations for a proposed new potash export terminal due to concerns about labour reliability.