In the city of Prince Rupert, on the northern coast of British Columbia, a strike by 7,400 dockworkers in the province’s ports is causing concern among the residents.

On the fourth day of the strike, the negotiations seem to be at an impasse.

While fishing and pulp production previously formed the economic engine of Prince Rupert, the city’s port is what gave its community a second chance at life, says its mayor Herb Pond.

Prince Rupert’s port is the third busiest in Canada, and the entire city community is suffering due to the labor dispute, says Danielle Dalton, who has lived in the city for about 30 years.

The city has 12,000 residents, of whom 2,000 work directly in industries related to the port, according to the Prince Rupert Port Authority.

“(What happens) if 25% of the (active) population is not working (because of the strike)? This affects everything in the city. (It affects) every family,” Dalton emphasizes.

Dalton confirms that people she knows who work in the port sector are thinking about moving elsewhere to live.

For its part, the Prince Rupert Port Authority says the dockworkers’ strike affects two of its seven terminals. It adds that it hopes to reach a quick agreement to maintain the port’s reputation for reliability.

Mayor Pond hopes for a quick and fair resolution to the labor dispute, but he does not call on the federal government to pass a special law to force workers back to work, as several business owners and economic players have demanded.

It is also noted that negotiations stopped today between the workers’ union and the British Columbia Marine Employers Association.