VANCOUVER, (Aug. 9, 2005) — Transport Canada has created a task force to review the underlying factors that caused the six-week truckers’ strike at the Port of Vancouver.

The three-member task force, established in collaboration with the Federal Ministers of Labour and Housing and Industry and the Province of British Columbia, will recommend a long-term strategy to facilitate industry relations, ensure the efficient movement of containers and help improve the effectiveness and reliability of the regional and national transportation network. Vince Ready, who facilitated the resolution of the dispute, will serve as special advisor to the task force.

The task force will deliver a preliminary report to the transport minister in 45 days. Its final report must be complete in 90 days.

About 1,200 independent container truckers walked off the job on June 27 and continued to demand higher hauling rates and fuel surcharges from their carrier companies for more than a month.

After negotiations failed several times, the Vancouver Port Authority implemented a 90-day interim licence provision that requires the carriers to attain licences to pick up or drop off containers within the port. By signing on to the provision, carriers automatically accept the proposal laid out by government-mediator Vince Ready — a proposal originally approved by 90 percent of the truckers but unanimously rejected by the trucking firms.

However, the backlog of containers sitting at the ports are now being cleared as a majority of owners accepted the deal, which according to media reports, would pay the owner-ops $90 to $185 per container, per leg, for the first year, increasing up to $200 in 2006, as well as implement a fuel surcharge when average prices for diesel hits the $1.05 per litre mark.

A handful of carriers have refused to accept the terms, however, and have even threatened to sue the VPA for forcing the licensing scheme upon them.

It’s expected that among all its other duties, the task force will meet with those companies to discuss having them sign on to the provision.

Industry Minister David L. Emerson expressed his disappointment that the strike dragged on so long, calling the event a “sordid chapter” in the port’s history.

“The Port of Vancouver is of vital interest to the local and national economies,” he said.

“While the Government of Canada has acted diligently to help resolve this issue in the short-term, today’s announcement is a further step in facilitating the necessary actions to bring about a lasting resolution.”

Task force members include:

Ken Dobell holds a bachelor of applied science degree and a master of science degree. He currently serves as the Deputy Minister to the Premier and Cabinet Secretary of British Columbia. He worked for the City of Vancouver as City Manager and then as CEO of the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority.

Randy Morriss holds a bachelor of arts degree and a master of arts degree. Most recently, he was the Director General of Port Programs at Transport Canada. He has also served as Director of Ferry Policy and Programs and Director of Program Review in the department. Mr. Morriss is a recipient of the Queen’s Jubilee Medal.

Eric Harris, Q.C., holds a bachelor of law degree and is a member of the Bar of the Province of British Columbia. He is a founding partner of Harris & Company and became a Queen’s counsel in 1997. Mr. Harris also served on the Committee of Special Advisors to review issues surrounding the British Columbia Labour Code.