B.C. supply chain challenges persist with latest storm-related highway closures

Thousands of people are working to restore the supply chain in B.C. after another round of weather-related highway closures over the weekend again cut the Lower Mainland off from the rest of the province.

Highway 3 between Hope and Princeton, and Highway 99 between Lillooet and Pemberton reopened Monday, as did Highway 1 through the Fraser Canyon. However, Highway 1 remains closed between Abbotsford and Chilliwack, and Popkum and Hope. And with another storm approaching, more closures could be coming.

Catastrophic flooding first closed highways on Nov. 14, and Dave Earle with the BC Trucking Association says delays are ongoing.

“Patience is key. We’re still in that that that very, very early recovery mode, working to get the loads through, working to get things done,” he says.

“There’s a lot of goods on the way but every time there’s a disruption it bumps things back again and again.”

Drivers, dispatchers, warehouse managers, and logistics experts are involved in figuring out how to get things moving, Earle says there is no precedent for this situation.

“To be clear, we’ve never seen anything like this,” he says.

“It’s very difficult to know exactly how everything’s going to be impacted. To be absolutely certain — everything is going to be impacted.”

While food and fuel are the first priority, Earle says moving the heavy equipment and materials necessary to repair and rebuild is also a key concern.

“The things that you and I need every day to lead our lives, that’s where an awful lot of the effort has gone and where we’re getting some good successes. There’s still some impacts, there’s still some problems, but we’re making progress diligently there,” he explains,

“There’s a lot of other materials and things we have to move around. We work very, very closely with Emergency Management BC, with the province, with our carriers with our shippers to really understand what those needs are and what some creative solutions may be.”

Transportation Minister Rob Fleming said goods are still moving, and provided an update on rail service Monday.

“Despite the challenges that we’re experiencing on our highways, our broader supply chain is showing incredible resilience. Goods are still moving in British Columbia. Freight trains are currently traveling in both directions on CP tracks. CP continues to actively inspect its tracks and train movement may hold when required for maintenance before it resumes again. CN Rail operated a total of seven westbound trains on Saturday and Sunday, before the rain events forced it to stop,” he said.

Meantime, workers at two container trucking companies have issued 72-hour strike notice. Drivers for Sheer Transportation and Prudential Transportation could walk off the job as early as Friday, according to Unifor.

“The two employers account for approximately 170 trucks, or 10 per cent of the Port of Vancouver’s container trucks. The shipping backlog at the port shows that business is booming and a modest increase in rates to those transporting goods out of the docks should not be controversial,” says a statement from the union.

Members voted to strike if the companies don’t adopt “the industry pattern agreement set earlier this year with Harbour Link Transportation.” That agreement set standards for health, dental, and insurance benefits for drivers as well as increasing pay for wait times.