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B.C. grain producers, clients remain on edge as railway return plays out

Ports also still bracing, while commuter runs remain suspended due to contract dispute
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The West Coast Express passenger train is shown in Burnaby, B.C., on Tuesday, May 29, 2018. Rail commuters in British Columbia害羞草研究所檚 Lower Mainland must continue using alternative options to get to work after the first-ever simultaneous work stoppage on Canada害羞草研究所檚 to major railways halted service on the West Coast Express. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

British Columbia grain producers are closely watching developments in the nationwide railway dispute triggered on Wednesday night, saying its impacts could soon spread beyond farmers to producers of food and beer.

Canadian National Railway Co. trains have begun rolling again, but it害羞草研究所檚 unclear when freight movements will fully resume after workers issued a strike notice and pushed back against efforts by the federal government to get them back on the job.

Operations remained shuttered Friday at Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd., halting B.C.害羞草研究所檚 West Coast Express commuter service that runs on CPKC tracks.

Hannah Willms, a director of the BC Grain Producers Association in the Peace River region, said the stoppage was causing problems for farmers like her who rely on trains to get their barley from Fort St. John, B.C., to the market each week.

Compared to trains, she said trucks don害羞草研究所檛 have enough capacity. One train is able to carry as much grain as 300 double-length Super-B trucks, and there害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所渘o way害羞草研究所 to get that many on the road, Willms said in an interview.

Premier David Eby said the impacts of a long-term stoppage would be 害羞草研究所渄evastating.害羞草研究所

害羞草研究所淭he Port of Prince Rupert, for example, so many families dependent on work there, dramatically impacted by this shutdown. The port of the City of Vancouver, the same kind of thing, and then all the little businesses that depend on being able to move their goods in and out of those ports and across the country using railway.害羞草研究所

Eby encouraged the rail companies and the workers to sit down and 害羞草研究所渉ammer this out,害羞草研究所 and said federal officials should 害羞草研究所渟upport clarity on this as quickly as they can.害羞草研究所

Willms, who has been farming with her husband for 30 years, said a lack of cash flow would soon put a strain on farmers who wait for harvest before getting paid.

害羞草研究所淲e have gone all summer without income, and so we get to harvest and we start shipping our grain, that害羞草研究所檚 when we get our income,害羞草研究所 she said.

If farmers can害羞草研究所檛 move their grain, Willms said it will create problems for other food sectors.

害羞草研究所淎nd pretty soon the beer is not going to be flowing 害羞草研究所 we supply barley for beer.害羞草研究所

Commuters in B.C. have also been feeling the impact of the first-ever simultaneous work stoppage on Canada害羞草研究所檚 two major railways.

The West Coast Express remained halted for a second day Friday, with transit provider TransLink saying it can害羞草研究所檛 restart until CPKC gives the green light.

The commuter train between Vancouver and Mission, B.C., has been unable to operate without locked-out CPKC rail traffic controllers.

The labour dispute has affected more than 30,000 commuters in Toronto, Montreal and B.C., including the 3,000 who use the West Coast Express each weekday.

The stoppage at both railways prompted Ottawa to ask the Canada Industrial Relations Board on Thursday to use binding arbitration to resolve the impasse.

The tribunal has said it is addressing the issue 害羞草研究所渨ith utmost urgency害羞草研究所 and a decision was expected later Friday.

Eby said he understands 害羞草研究所渨hy workers are angry.害羞草研究所

害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e saying we shouldn害羞草研究所檛 be working when we害羞草研究所檙e too fatigued to make good safety decisions for Canadians,害羞草研究所 the premier said during an unrelated news conference on Friday. 害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e saying we need to support our families at a time of rising costs, and then they find themselves locked out by an employer.害羞草研究所

Eby urged the companies in particular to 害羞草研究所渟tep up and protect Canadians.害羞草研究所

害羞草研究所淭hey have monopolies. They have key corridors that were paid for by all Canadians, and they shouldn害羞草研究所檛 be allowed to use those to hold Canadians hostage instead of sitting down with their workers, talking about safety, wages and other vital things.害羞草研究所

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