8.24°C Vancouver

Sep 12, 2024 5:07 PM - The Canadian Press

Talks on today over HandyDART strike affecting vulnerable people in Metro Vancouver

Share On
talks-on-today-over-handydart-strike-affecting-vulnerable-people-in-metro-vancouver
No timeline has been set for the length of the negotiations, but Joe McCann, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says they are willing to stay there as long as it takes, even if talks drag on all night.(Photo: The Canadian Press)

Mediated talks between the union representing HandyDART workers in Metro Vancouver and its employer, Transdev, are set to resume today as a strike that has stopped most services drags into a second week.

No timeline has been set for the length of the negotiations, but Joe McCann, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says they are willing to stay there as long as it takes, even if talks drag on all night.

About 600 employees of the door-to-door transit service for people unable to navigate the conventional transit system have been on strike since last Tuesday, pausing service for all but essential medical trips.

Hundreds of drivers rallied outside TransLink’s head office earlier this week, calling for the transportation provider to intervene in the dispute with Transdev, which was contracted to oversee HandyDART service.

Transdev said earlier this week that it will provide a reply to the union’s latest proposal on Thursday.

A statement from the company said it “strongly believes” that their employees deserve fair wages, and that a fair contract “must balance the needs of their employees, clients and taxpayers."

Latest news

b-c-launches-new-forestry-and-emergency-management-testbed-under-look-west-plan
BCDec 16, 2025

B.C. launches new forestry and emergency management testbed under Look West plan

The B.C. government has launched a new Forestry Innovation and Emergency Management Testbed aimed at helping local companies develop and scale technologies to better protect communities from wildfires, floods and other extreme weather events. The initiative is part of the province’s Look West economic plan, which focuses on strengthening domestic industries and reducing reliance on external markets. Delivered through Innovate BC’s Integrated Marketplace, the provincewide testbed will allow B.C. businesses to pilot technologies in real-world settings tied to wildfire and flood prevention, f
five-month-nanaimo-rcmp-probe-leads-to-drug-trafficking-and-firearm-charges
BCDec 16, 2025

Five-month Nanaimo RCMP probe leads to drug trafficking and firearm charges

A five-month investigation by Nanaimo RCMP has resulted in multiple drug and firearm-related charges against two Nanaimo residents, following the seizure of controlled substances, weapons and body armour from a local residence. Police say the investigation began in early November 2024 after general duty officers received information that a home in Nanaimo was being used to traffic illegal drugs. With assistance from the RCMP General Investigation Section and the Projects Drug Unit, officers executed a search warrant at the residence on April 17, 2025. During the search, investigators seized qu
federal-buy-canadian-procurement-rules-take-effect-prioritizing-domestic-industries
CanadaDec 16, 2025

Federal ‘Buy Canadian’ procurement rules take effect, prioritizing domestic industries

The federal government’s new ‘Buy Canadian’ procurement policy came into force today, marking a significant shift in how Ottawa purchases goods and services for major public projects. The policy, announced earlier this fall, is designed to give preference to Canadian-made products and Canadian workers in federal contracting. The government says the approach is aimed at strengthening domestic industries and protecting supply chains during a period of ongoing global trade uncertainty. In its first phase, the policy applies to federal contracts valued at $25 million or more. These projects
AlbertaDec 16, 2025

Inmate convicted in Edmonton prison killing was already serving life sentence for Calgary murder

A man already serving a life sentence for the murder of a Calgary caseworker has been convicted in the killing of a fellow inmate at a maximum-security federal prison in Edmonton. Brandon Newman was found guilty last week of manslaughter in the 2022 stabbing death of 33-year-old Bretton Fisher at the Edmonton Institution. Newman is currently incarcerated for the second-degree murder of Deborah Onwu, a caseworker who was stabbed 19 times at an assisted-living facility in Calgary in 2019. Court heard that tensions escalated inside the prison after Fisher confronted Newman over the earlier killin
heavy-rain-warnings-remain-in-southwest-b-c-as-flood-recovery-continues-in-fraser-valley
BCDec 16, 2025

Heavy rain warnings remain in southwest B.C. as flood recovery continues in Fraser Valley

Residents in parts of southwestern British Columbia are being warned to prepare for more heavy rainfall as cleanup efforts continue following recent flooding in the Fraser Valley. Environment Canada says up to 70 millimetres of rain could fall across areas including Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley through Wednesday morning. The forecast comes as floodwaters linked to the Nooksack River in Washington state begin to recede, allowing cleanup operations to start earlier this week in several low-lying Fraser Valley communities. Provincial officials say the flood threat is not over. B.C. Emerg

Related News