Being a landlocked province, Saskatchewan is heavily reliant on trade with countries overseas. Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce CEO Prabha Ramaswamy says the port strike going on in Vancouver is going to have a detrimental effect on our economy if it goes on much longer.
She adds that all Saskatchewan businesses will be affected, regardless of their size. They will see less inventory coming in and may even have to spend more money to begin shipping through the United States if negotiations aren’t concluded soon. She says within several weeks, consumers may notice a shortage in goods and an increase in the price of goods. She adds that 44 per cent of Saskatchewan’s trade is processed through that port, which is equal to $7 billion in commodities per year, and Saskatchewan does not have alternate ports with the capacity to move these goods. Over 7400 port workers went on strike 7 days ago, and Thursday they rallied near the Vancouver coast as they aim for a new contract with the B.C. Maritime Employers Association.