Rebuilding Trust in Canada’s Supply Chain

The Wheat Growers Association is calling on the federal government to take decisive action to restore confidence in Canada’s supply chain and protect the country’s reputation as a reliable trading partner.

Between 2023 and 2024, Canada’s West Coast ports were shut down for 24 days, delaying more than 19.2 billion dollars in goods. The stoppages rippled through the economy, hurting farmers, manufacturers, and exporters across the country.

“These disruptions are not just a labour issue, they are a national black eye,” said Gunter Jochum, President of the Wheat Growers Association. “Every day that ships sit idle, farmers lose value, contracts are broken, and our international reputation takes another hit. It is entirely preventable, and it is time to fix it.”

The federal government’s own Industrial Inquiry Commission, led by mediators Vince Ready and Amanda Rogers, described the current longshore bargaining system as “broken but not beyond repair.” The Commission recommended a B.C.-wide geographic certification to unify bargaining and reduce instability at Canada’s West Coast ports.

The Wheat Growers strongly support this recommendation and are urging Ottawa to go further by recognizing trade-related positions as essential services.

“When ports or rail lines shut down, the entire economy pays the price,” Jochum said. “Canada cannot claim to be a trading nation while allowing labour disputes to repeatedly shut down our gateways to the world.”

Daryl Fransoo, Chair of the Wheat Growers Board, added that the cost of inaction reaches deep into rural communities.  “Every delay at the ports has a direct impact on the farm gate,” Fransoo said. “When grain can’t move, farmers can’t get paid, and that affects the entire rural economy, from local suppliers to small businesses. Stability in trade is not optional; it is essential to keeping Canada competitive and our communities strong.”