Bad News for Canadians Awaiting a New Vehicle from Asia

Your brand new vehicle made in Japan, South Korea, China or Vietnam could take longer to be delivered to you.

An already bad situation at the Port of Vancouver has gotten even worse with the strike launched this past Saturday by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada (ILWU).

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The 7,000+ workers it represents have been without a collective bargaining agreement since April 1. They want a “fair deal” that protects their jobs from the “devastating impacts” of port automation projects and contracting out, as well as cost-of-living increases—this just a few years after they made sacrifices during the pandemic while most of the country was in lockdown, the ILWU said.

The Port of Vancouver is the largest in the nation and handles, among other imports, new vehicles, auto parts and raw materials coming from Asian countries. A long strike will inevitably affect delivery times across Canada, not to mention vehicle production at Canadian plants.

Global Automakers of Canada, which represents overseas car companies in the country, encourage the ILWU and British Columbia Maritime Employers Association to come to a negotiated settlement as quickly as possible.

Others, like the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, expect the Canadian government to make a return to work at the Port of Vancouver a top priority, possibly by resorting to special legislation.

For now, Ottawa has only served as a mediator and prefers to let the negotiations play out.