VANCOUVER, B.C. — Port Metro Vancouver was dealt a blow this week in its attempt to cull the number of trucks serving the port, after a federal court ruled it must review the way it selected trucking companies that received licences.

“We have received the decision from the federal court in the port trucker’s case,” the United Truckers Association of B.C. posted on its Facebook page. “Federal court has allowed the truckers applications and has directed the port to reassess the truckers’ applications. The Respondent is directed to reassess the Applicants applications for licenses in accordance with the most favourable benchmark applied to any of the successful licensing applications and to issue licenses to any qualified Applicant whose application meets the benchmark for approval.”

Port Metro Vancouver responded to the ruling, by saying it will review its processes.

“In order to meet related deadlines, Port Metro Vancouver fast-tracked implementation of its new truck licensing system and set out selection criteria designed to reduce the number of licensed trucks,” PMV wrote in a statement.

“While we endeavoured to apply the selection process in as fair a method as possible, with respect to certain applications, the Federal Court of Canada has disagreed. We will now review the Federal Court of Canada’s decision and consider our next steps. Once resolved, primary control of the number of approved trucks will shift to the provincial trucking commissioner.”