In calling for the Trudeau government to intervene in an escalating dispute between Montreal port employers and longshore workers, Canadian manufacturers and farmers warned of rising economic damage.

With personal protective equipment (PPE) still critical amid a multi-month surge of Asian cargo into Canada and the United States, the resumption of Montreal strike actions after a truce expires March 20 would be highly disruptive to cargo flows through eastern Canada.

The leadership change at the Port of Montreal comes as the second-largest Canadian port moves forward on a new terminal after a month-long series of strikes in the summer.

The federal government shows no signs of intervening in the Montreal strike, which has caused carriers to send several vessels to the alternative ports of Halifax and Saint John.

One marine terminal in Montreal has begun turning away refrigerated exports as a series of strikes will last until at least Friday.

The latest strike action raises concerns that port clerk and longshore will launch consecutive strikes at Montreal, the second-largest East Coast port.

Montreal waterfront employers a decade ago locked out longshore workers for several days, after the union authorized a strike following an 18-month impasse in contract talks.

The ability to strike could give the longshoremen union Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 375 more leverage in its negotiations with employers for a future contract.

he ports of Halifax and Montreal are looking to resume normal operations following the removal of indigenous protest blockades that halted Canadian National Railway service into the East Coast gateways.

The dismantling of a protest blockade blocking the Canadian National Railway line at Tyendinaga Monday morning could signal the end of the two-week old blockade that has crippled the movement of cargo by rail across Canada.

A rail blockade in Ontario as part of a more than week-long First Nation protest against a proposed oil pipeline in Canada remains in place, and CN’s eastern Canadian network is at a near standstill.

The Pacific Northwest ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert are moving forward with short-term marine terminal, rail, and roadway infrastructure projects, while on the East Coast, Halifax is extending a container terminal berth to handle larger ships and Montreal is increasing annual container handling capacity.

The Port of Montreal has the funding to advance construction of a fifth container terminal after the Canada Infrastructure Bank committed financing of up to $300 million (US$230 million).

Dockworkers involved in contract negotiations at the Port of Montreal received support this week from an international union that attended a hearing on whether the ports are so important to public health and safety that they can’t be subject to a strike or a lockout.

The Wednesday announcement by the Canada Infrastructure Bank solidifies the development of the project and promises funding, as an acceleration of container volume growth within the last three years pushes the Port of Montreal toward full capacity.

A new free trade zone created in the metropolitan area of Montreal will make it easier for manufacturers, producers, and wholesalers to make and store goods without paying taxes or excise duties on products that will eventually leave the country.