MONTREAL — Canada’s three largest cities avoided commuter chaos this morning after a Canadian Pacific Railway deal with one of its unions ensured a strike won’t affect metropolitan passenger services.
Ontario transportation agency Metrolinx advised passengers that GO service will run as usual after an agreement was reached just before Tuesday evening’s strike deadline.
Suburban services in Montreal and Vancouver will also not be impacted by a general strike at the Calgary-based railway.
Canadian Pacific Railway’s more than 3,000 train operators walked off the job, while about 360 signalling workers with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers reached a tentative contract settlement.
The railway had vowed to use management staff to maintain signalling and switching functions, but a strike by those workers could have caused delays if they were unable to keep up with problems.
The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference says its workers walked out late last night as negotiations continued with the assistance of federal mediators.
Freight customers of Canada’s second-largest railway say the strike will cause a significant economic impact and urge the federal government to take immediate action.
But Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday that he won’t be rushed into introducing back-to-work legislation, as the previous Conservative government did.
— Companies in this story: (TSX:CP)