The leaders of Canada's largest federal public service union (PSAC) announced overnight on April 18 local time that federal civil servants in the Canada Revenue Agency and the Department of Finance will go on strike starting at 0:01 am on April 19. As many as 155,000 people are understood to have walked out, making it the largest strike ever organized by a single employer's union in Canada.

Unions expect nearly a third of workers across the federal public service to go on strike. This will slow or halt many public services, such as tax filing, employment insurance, immigration and passport applications, disrupt supply chains and international trade at ports, terminals and airports, and slow border clearance.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada is the country's largest federal civil service union, with nearly 230,000 members. Its representatives are in talks with the government, demanding higher pay, better working conditions and an inclusive workplace amid high inflation.

Canada's inflation rate was 4.3 percent in March, down from 5.2 percent in February, according to data released by Statistics Canada on April 18. But prices of groceries, which are closely linked to consumers' daily lives, continued to rise, rising 9.7 per cent from a year earlier.

The Canadian government has recently announced that the civil service strike will affect the work of 23 departments and agencies. After the union announced the strike, Canadian officials said managers had sent written notices to employees in some essential service positions about their roles and responsibilities in the event of a strike.

This is to remind the freight forwarders who have trade with Canada recently to keep in touch with their customers in a timely manner and pay close attention to the delay and impact of the strike on cargo transportation!