Initiatives Prince George, the city's economic development agency, is imploring the federal government to act quickly to end a CN labour dispute that could disrupt rail traffic in northern B.C.
Both sides - the Teamsters represents train conductors, yardsmen and traffic co-ordinators - are in a position to call 72-hour strike or lockout notice.
"The economic consequences or a strike or lock-out for our region would be catastrophic at this point in time," Initiatives Prince George CEO Tim McEwan wrote to federal Labour Minister Lisa Raitt last Friday.
The letter was released to the media today as the two sides remain unable to resolve the dispute.
McEwan pointed out that CN is the only rail service provider in northern B.C., making shippers dependent on CN's service for long hauls that exceed economic distances for trucking.
Rail service is absolutely critical for northern B.C products such as pulp, lumber, wood pellets, chips, coal and other minerals, said McEwan.
User of the CN service in northern B.C. also expand outside the region, including for products like potash, chemicals, petroleum and recently-added container traffic, he added.
Prince George is a major hub for CN's east-west and north-south traffic. Recently, CN established a $20-million container-handling facility in Prince George.
