Advocacy Alert!!! Letter to MP Barrett regarding Potential Labour Disruption in Class I Railways

August 21, 2024

MP Michael Barrett

Member of Parliament for Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes

House of Commons

Ottawa ON K1A 0A6

Via electronic mail: michael.barrett@parl.gc.ca

Re: Potential Labour Disruption in Class I railways

MP Barrett:

On behalf of the Brockville and District Chamber of Commerce, I am writing to urge you to immediately intervene and do everything necessary to avert a disruption in Canada’s Class I railways.

A concurrent or sequential work stoppage at both major railways will leave Canadians with access to fewer goods and products, driving up prices and exacerbating affordability challenges. A failure to act swiftly will also put the livelihoods of millions of workers in jeopardy.

Our international reputation and relationship with our trading partners is at stake. Canada’s railways transport $380 billion worth of goods annually – that’s over $1 billion each day – and account for half of the country’s exports.

A rail stoppage could result in the loss of perishable goods and food waste, create shortages of critical consumer staple products, jeopardize access to crucial construction and wooden building materials, impact the automotive supply chain, interrupt access to a reliable supply of liquid transportation fuels, and pose a risk to public health due to disrupted supply of water treatment chemicals like chlorine.

We are respectfully asking that you safeguard the well-being of Canadians and the country’s reputation as a reliable trading partner by doing everything you can to ensure that a disruption to our national railway system does not occur.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

Sincerely,

Pamela Robertson

Executive Director

Brockville and District Chamber of Commerce