The Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Labour and Seniors
The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Transport
The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food
The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development
Sent by email
Re: Urgency to resolve the dispute between St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation and Unifor
Dear Ministers,
As associations representing the soy, pulse, cereals and canola value chains we are writing to you regarding the ongoing strike by five Unifor locals against the Canadian St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) that has closed the entire St. Lawrence Seaway. We urge you to take all necessary steps to quickly bring about an agreement between the two parties and ensure this strike is ended to prevent further damage to the grain sector, further disruptions to the food supply of our customers and to prevent further damage to the wider Canadian economy.
The St. Lawrence is a vital supply chain corridor for the grain sector, with approximately 10 million tonnes of grain moving through the system each year. Farmers, exporters, and importers across the entire length of the Seaway are impacted by this strike at one of the most vital times for agriculture – when harvest is being completed and export programs begin. Harvest is already a very stressful time for farmers as they race against impending winter and harmful weather that damages quality and shrinks the harvest. With port terminals now refusing farmer deliveries and storage backing up in the countryside, the strike is already hurting the sector.
As described, the congestion and disruption to the grain supply chain is significant and is coming at a time when the supply chain is just recovering from West Coast Port strikes and weather volatility in the Prairies. Supply chain disruptions like this strike result in financial loss, contribute to food inflation, and tarnish Canada’s international reputation as a reliable supplier of grain. Tens of thousands of farmers, and the processors and exporters they work with are directly impacted by the strike, having a ripple effect on communities from the Atlantic to the Prairies.
As Minister’s responsible for the Canada’s interests, we request that Government of Canada take all necessary steps to quickly bring about an agreement between the two parties and ensure this strike is ended to prevent further damage to the grain sector and the wider Canadian economy.
Canola Council of Canada
Cereals Canada
Pulse Canada
Soy Canada
Source : Soycanada