Transportation Strikes Threaten Canadian Economy, Say Experts
A new report from the Montreal Economic Institute (MEI) suggests that Ottawa's recent legislation to prevent crippling strikes in the transportation sector is a justified response to a growing trend.
The MEI report cites examples of work stoppages, such as lockouts at the ports of Montreal and Vancouver in 2024 and a labour strike at Air Canada in 2025, which threatened major swaths of the Canadian economy and thousands of jobs.
Airlines, ports, and rail services are considered key parts of national infrastructure and are relied on by miners, manufacturers, farmers, and many other economic sectors.
Gabriel Giguère, a senior policy analyst at MEI, said these types of transportation companies are different than most other employers and warrant unique legislation to help keep them in operation.