The Prince George Spruce Kings have already begun making contingency plans if city workers go out on strike and the team loses the ability to host games at the Coliseum.
The Spruce Kings are slated to welcome the Chilliwack Chiefs on Saturday and Sunday, but if city workers walk off the job on Thursday afternoon, those games will not take place.
"We'd probably postpone those games and reschedule them for a later date in the season," Spruce Kings general manager Mike Hawes said.
The team has already been in talks with the B.C. Hockey League about longer-term contingency plans if a strike were to last weeks rather than days. That could mean finding a temporary home in another community.
"One of the options is if ice is available somewhere in the Cariboo, we can play home guys there if we had to, [for example] Quesnel or Williams Lake," Hawes said. "It's an option we'd have to consider."
Hawes said a home away from home isn't ideal, but it would reduce possible disruption for the league's schedule.
Aside from the games this weekend, the Spruce Kings don't have any home games scheduled until Jan. 11-12.
A decision on the fate of this weekend's games won't be made until more facts are known about the timing of a potential work stoppage.
"As soon as we know something like that, our fans will know right away," Hawes said.
The Cariboo Cougars could also be without a home at the CN Centre should city staff strike this week, which would cause the postponement of their B.C. Major Midget League games this weekend against the Greater Vancouver Canadians. General manager Trevor Sprague said like the Spruce Kings, his team would look at moving games out of Prince George down the road, if necessary.
This weekend's games are the last scheduled home games for the Cariboo Cats this calendar year, although the team is also planning to hold its annual alumni game at CN Centre on Dec. 23.
The Western Hockey League's Prince George Cougars have the schedule working on their side. After tonight's date with Kootenay Ice, the Cougars aren't slated to host a game until January, giving the team time to consider its options if a strike drags on.
Other users of city recreation facilities like arenas and swimming pools will also see their operations disrupted by a possible strike.
The CN Centre has no major events on its schedule until the new year. Meanwhile, the city-owned Civic Centre is set to play host the Kris Kringle luncheon on Friday, a Welcome to PG Winterfest event on Dec. 21 and Boogie with the Stars on New Year's Eve.
