Protests block grain deliveries to west coast terminals

Agriculture Producers Association of Saskatchewan president Todd Lewis said it’s concerning because he’s heard reports of trains being backed across the Prairies.

“You’ve shut down one of our major ports on the West Coast is what this blockade has done,” he said. “There’s a number of vessels waiting there at Prince Rupert and it’s a big backlog that will have to get cleaned up.”

Lewis said CN Rail has obtained injunctions and is working with policing agencies to enforce the orders. He hopes governments will also get involved.

“For the provincial government out in B.C. or the federal government, this is something that has to get remedied as quickly as possible,” Lewis said. “It’s important to have the right to protest, but at the same time, this is affecting all commodities. For grain, it’s a very inopportune time and we can’t afford to have another delay.”

Western Grain Elevator Association executive director Wade Sobkowich said he hopes governments are trying to figure out a way to have it end quickly.

“We simply can’t afford to have grain trains not moving. We need the capacity right now. In particular when we have other issues that are affecting the supply chain like mudslides and rockslides,” Sobkowich said. “We weren’t involved in the circumstances that led up to the blockade and yet we’re feeling the effects of it. We’re asking government to do whatever it can in its power to do what needs to be done in order to end these blockades.”

The disruptions are meant to highlight the Wet’suwet’en First Nation’s opposition to a Coastal GasLink project that cuts through their territory.

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alice.mcfarlane@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @AliceMcF

by Alice McFarlane

Protests block grain deliveries to west coast terminals

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