Ottawa businesses could soon feel the effects of B.C. port strike

It's a quick visit to the Heart and Crown in the Byward Market for Domenic Scanga.

"We were supplying them with disposable takeout containers, paper bags," said Scanga, the VP of Operations for Italfoods Inc.

The company supplies products for several Ottawa businesses and he’s been keeping a close eye on the B.C. port strike.

"The raw material that comes from China comes from those ports, a lot of the Canadian companies use those materials to build the take out containers paper bags et cetera," he said. "Not in the panic mode yet but soon if this continues."

Since Canada Day, more than 7,400 workers at B.C. ports have been on the picket lines over issues including pay, cost of living, and automation idling all cargo handling at about 30 ports, including Canada's busiest harbour, Port of Vancouver.

That hold up has impacted businesses owners like Pat Nicastro.

"I had a call today. I’m waiting for a load of items and they said they can’t tell us when it arrives," said the La Bottega owner. "They said if it last another four to five days, expect some serious delays."

"The strike is affecting all sectors businesses in retail, construction, wholesale," said Jasmin Guenette, the VP of National Affairs for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.

The business group surveyed its members on how the strike will affect their operations. The preliminary results show 53 per cent are worried about missing critical sales, delayed orders or an inability to get their products.

"Businesses had to deal with major supply chain disruptions during the pandemic and we have felt it as a consumer, business owners felt it. We were just out of this situation but the strike at B.C. ports could generate disruptions businesses thought was behind us."

It's estimated the strike is costing the Canadian economy $1 billion a day. The CFIB wants the government to step in, saying the longer the strike continues, the longer it could take for the supply chain to get back on track.