CANADA Daily News and Updates

Air Updates

• Air Canada Union Says Flight Attendants Will Continue Strike, Defy Government
• Video: What Penalties Could Air Canada Flight Attendants Face for Defying the Back-to-Work Order?

Ocean Updates

• Port of Montreal Water Level Update
• Container Rates Stabilize After Tariff-Driven Volatility as Market Braces for Second-Half Contraction

Air Updates

Air Canada Union Says Flight Attendants Will Continue Strike, Defy Government

Air Canada flight attendants said on Sunday they will remain on strike and spurn a government return-to-work order they called unconstitutional.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees said in a statement that members would remain on strike and invited Air Canada back to the table to “negotiate a fair deal.”

On Saturday, the Canadian government moved to end the strike by more than 10,000 flight attendants.

The Canadian Industrial Relations Board agreed to a government request to order binding arbitration and end the strike to break their contract impasse, an action Air Canada had sought but unionized flight attendants fiercely opposed.

The Canada Labour Code gives the government the power to ask the CIRB to impose binding arbitration in the interest of protecting the economy.

Read more in an article from CTV News.

Video: What Penalties Could Air Canada Flight Attendants Face for Defying the Back-to-Work Order?

Steven Tufts, an associate professor at York University, reflects on previous strikes and the impacts of refusing to work. Watch the video from CP24.

Ocean Updates

Port of Montreal Water Level Update

In an update provided on August 15, the Port of Montreal said that, due to low precipitation since early July, a downward trend in water levels is continuing. This is a significant concern for the port.

According to the most recent Water Levels Forecast Bulletin, published on August 11, levels are expected to remain below chart datum in the coming weeks, except in the event of heavy rainfall in the Great Lakes Basin. Up-to-date data is available on the Port of Montreal website and through official Government of Canada sources, including the Canadian Coast Guard.

Container Rates Stabilize After Tariff-Driven Volatility as Market Braces for Second-Half Contraction

Drewry’s World Container Index decreased 3% to $2,350 per 40ft container last week, marking the ninth consecutive week of decline as the market continues to stabilize following months of extreme volatility.

The container shipping market has experienced significant turbulence since U.S. tariffs were announced in April, with rates surging from May through early June before a sharp decline until mid-July. Recently, the downward trend has lost momentum as the rate of decrease slowed considerably.

Transpacific routes showed particular weakness last week, with Shanghai–Los Angeles rates falling 2% to $2,494 per FEU and Shanghai–New York dropping 5% to $3,638 per FEU. Read more in an article from gCaptain.