Potential CBSA strike could cause ‘chaos’ at border crossings

Canadian Border Service Agency (CBSA) workers will be in a legal strike position on Thursday, which means they could be on strike as early as Friday afternoon.

Businesses in Niagara Falls are bracing for disruptions, ahead of a border guard strike that could begin this week. A workers’ strike could cause chaos for local businesses because they rely on tourists and cross-border shipments.

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Local business owner, Baris Basol says his store is suffering and told CHCH News that a border strike could be catastrophic.

“Most likely we can be bankrupt. We will not be able to pay our rents and we have three workers, we will not call them into work,” Basol said.

Basol owns Grand Bazaar Niagara and he says 80 per cent of his customers are tourists. Basol says the last three years have been difficult enough. His small business is still trying to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and the current cost of living crisis is only making it harder.

“Now it’s a border strike. I think we cannot afford that.”

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Andrew Vergalito, who runs Italian Ice Cream in Niagara Falls says sales are just one factor. The store’s top seller, the lemon gelato, relies on shipments from California.

“So if there’s a shortage, or a slowdown, of that, then it’s going to affect the pricing and the availability of the products.”

His business is one of many in the city that rely on cross-border shipping and are now preparing for possible disruptions.

“I don’t think Niagara can suffer any longer,” Vergalito said.

A border strike could delay shipments which means owners will have to find a different supplier or a different product altogether.

Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati says the timing couldn’t be worse with peak tourist season around the corner. But, the municipal government won’t be offering financial supports to impacted local businesses.

“There’s nothing financially we can do for something like that we’re looking to our federal partners to make sure they get this resolved ASAP,” Diodati said.

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In a statement sent to CHCH News via email on Wednesday, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat said “90 per cent of front line border services officers have been designated as essential” Meaning “they must provide uninterrupted border services” and the CBSA “will take disciplinary action” against employees who walk off the job illegally.

Nearly 9,000 CBSA workers have been without a contract for two years. The union representing them says 96 per cent voted in favour of strike action. Their demands include better pay and retirement benefits.

Mayor Diodati said the city is sending out letters this week to the prime minister, the province, and border towns in hopes of speeding up mediation.