Vancouver Island hospitality and transportation businesses are cautiously optimistic a contract dispute involving Canada Border Services Agency workers will be resolved before a threatened strike that could start as early as Friday afternoon.
Mark Paul, director of sales and marketing for Chateau Victoria, said the impact of any job action wouldn’t come near the disruption the industry saw during the pandemic. He said that most of his tours don’t cross the border but operators that deal with international visitors, such as the cruise-ship sector, could feel more impact.
If the strike becomes a reality and agents work to rule, processing travellers may take longer than usual, Burles said.