Vancouver small business owner worried about B.C. port strike impacts

With the B.C. port strike continuing on, a small business owner is shining a light on the possible fallout of this work stoppage and the harsh reality it presents.

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) has been on strike in B.C. since members walked off the job on Canada Day after voting overwhelmingly to strike against the BC Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA).

While Welk’s General Store owner John Welks tells CityNews there wouldn’t be “too much of an issue” if the strike only lasts a few weeks longer, he says more issues will start to creep in with time.

“If it goes on longer than that, then we’re gonna have issues, not only with more information but supply shortages … it’s gonna be trouble for everybody.”

Welks says he hasn’t had any supply chain issues yet, but warns that may change if the two sides don’t come to an agreement soon — even taking a toll on how prepared his store will be for the holiday season.

“We basically start getting our Christmas products in late August. So — if that pushes it further — it just becomes kind of a real backlog for us to kind of handle,” he said. “The large amount of freight that we would get around that time of year is gonna get squished into a shorter time, or if this goes on even longer than that, then we can do in bigger trouble.”

“Most businesses use the Christmas season to survive.”

The Retail Council of Canada says the strike is going to have more severe impacts on small and medium-sized businesses.

“Large businesses may have a supply chain department looking for alternative sources for the products, or alternative ways of getting them to their distribution centres and stores in Canada. But small and medium-sized retailers have to do that themselves and they don’t have that expertise,” said Greg Wilson, Director of Government Relations for the Retail Council of Canada.

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Read more:

• Day 6 of B.C. port strike: management calls for binding arbitration, workers fill streets

• B.C. port strike could cost $250M weekly, experts say, with consumers taking hit too

• Railway puts temporary embargo on Vancouver, on day five of B.C. port strike

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He says that this strike could greatly affect the consumer, adding is the supply chain breaks down, the prices for goods will inevitably go up.

Welks stresses the importance of this strike ending “sooner rather than later,” but tells CityNews he really just doesn’t know where this one could go.