OTTAWA, Ontario — Canada’s Labor Minister, Steven Mackinnon, announced on Tuesday his decision to take action regarding the ongoing lockouts at the nation’s two largest ports.

Mackinnon stated that the negotiations between the involved parties had reached a deadlock. He is instructing the Canada Industrial Relations Board to mandate the resumption of operations at both ports while also facilitating the transition of negotiations to compulsory arbitration.

The Port of Montreal’s workforce experienced a lockout beginning Sunday, while workers at the Vancouver port on the Pacific Coast have been on lockout since November 4.

“There is a threshold to the economic damage Canadians are willing to endure,” Mackinnon emphasized. “In light of this damaging situation, there is a duty to intervene. As the labor minister, that responsibility is mine.”

He highlighted the significant economic impact, noting that an estimated $1.3 billion Canadian dollars (roughly $930 million) in goods are affected each day by these stoppages. This disruption poses threats not only to supply chains and the economy but also affects Canada’s standing as a dependable trading partner. The labor minister expressed concern regarding the lack of urgency displayed by the parties involved.

Business organizations have been urging the government to step in and restore the flow of goods through the ports.

Mackinnon’s intervention follows a similar government action taken in August, which resolved stalled operations at Canada’s two major railway systems.

He expressed optimism that port operations could be reinstated within a few days.