Small-town Co-ops hopeful labour dispute won’t impact fuel supply

As blockades continue at the Co-op refinery, small-town gas stations are stuck waiting to see what happens with their fuel supply.

On Monday, Federated Co-operatives Limited CEO Scott Banda warned that fuel shortages could start happening within days if the union’s illegal blockades continue. While the refinery can still ship fuel by rail and pipelines, the rail shipments are now behind a Unifor barricade at a storage terminal in Carseland, Alta.

“If fuel can start flowing again, it’s there, it’s right behind the fence at Carseland, Alberta (and) it’s right behind the fence here in Regina. There’s plenty of product, it’s just whether it can be moved,” Banda said.

Co-op lawyers are heading to court in Alberta on Wednesday to ask for an injunction to take down Unifor’s secondary blockade in Carseland.

Banda also said the company is making plans to prioritize fuel delivery to places where Co-op gas stations are the only option.

Down at the end of the fuel supply chain, people in rural communities can only wait and see what happens.

“I guess I’m pretty concerned. We’re the only gas station in town and people kind of depend and rely on us, not just here but in neighbouring communities,” explained Brad Cornelson, who manages the Co-op in Herbert on the Trans-Canada Highway west of Chaplin.

Cornelson said the station had some delays in delivery and ran out of fuel one day when the lockout first began, but otherwise hasn’t had any issues at this point.

Looking at the long term, he said seeding season would be the first major test of supply if the dispute was to drag on that long. He is optimistic about Banda’s promise to prioritize fuel delivery to smaller communities.

“I think FCL, they’ll definitely do the best they can. That being said, it’s probably not an easy job or an easy task lining all that up, so I guess we’ll have to see what happens,” Cornelson said.

At the Parkland Co-op in Porcupine Plane northeast of Humboldt, the Co-op is also the only option in the area. Manager Kelly Dahroug said it’s the only gas station serving the communities of Carrigana, Chelan and Weekes.

“I’m staying optimistic that they do have some type of a plan in place. I’m sure they’re not going to let us all just go down without having any fuel. I mean there’s ambulances, fire trucks — things that depend on us to serve them,” Dahroug said.

He admits it is personally frustrating to see the labour dispute unfold on the news with both sides going back and forth.

“Yet we sit out in rural areas and pay the ultimate price if something goes south,” Dahroug said.

At other small Co-op gas stations spread through rural areas across the province, local managers said they haven’t seen any issues so far with supply.

The lockout at the refinery started Dec. 5.