Metro Vancouver transit workers seek strike vote after talks with employer break down

Downtown Vancouver is pictured in the background as a TransLink SeaBus leaves North Vancouver, B.C., Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015. (Jonathan Hayward / The Canadian Press)

VANCOUVER — The union representing transit workers in Metro Vancouver is preparing for a strike vote after talks with the operator of bus services broke down.

Unifor Locals 111 and 2200 say in a release that talks broke off with Coast Mountain Bus Company over the employer asking for concessions on contracting out and workplace safety.

Coast Mountain Bus operates more than 96 per cent of Metro Vancouver’s bus services for the transit authority TransLink, and Unifor Local 111 represents more than 4,000 workers on a fleet of about 1,400 vehicles.

The operations include community shuttles, electric trolley service, and natural gas and diesel hybrid buses in Metro Vancouver.

Local 2200, includes workers operating the SeaBus service between downtown Vancouver and North Vancouver.

Negotiations have been ongoing since February, and Unifor says it will now move to “secure a strike mandate” from its members.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 19, 2026.