On 14 March 2025, hundreds of unionized workers, including members of CSN, APTS, CSD, and CSQ, rallied at the Plaza Centre-Ville in Montreal - Center East (Quebec) to express opposition to Bill 89, a 'Law to Better Consider the Population's Needs During Strikes or Lockouts.' Demonstrators claim the bill infringes on workers' rights, limiting their ability to negotiate and improve working conditions. Around 15 demonstrators entered the hotel and reached the floor where Labour Minister Jean Boulet was scheduled to speak, causing his speech to be cancelled. During the demonstration, demonstrators broke the glass door of the Plaza. The police and demonstrators pushed each other and a demonstrator struck a police officer with an unspecified blunt object but the officer was uninjured. The government also claims that demonstrators used tear gas during the demonstration and that a window was broken. There were no arrests.

Supply-chain Risk Briefing

1) Summary On March 14, 2025, protests against labor law amendment Bill 89 occurred in Montreal, Canada. Hundreds of union members from major unions including CSN, APTS, CSD, and CSQ participated, with some protesters entering the hotel where the Labor Minister was staying, showing intense developments. Currently assessed as 'low' grade risk.

2) Supply-chain impact

• Quebec is a key hub for Canadian manufacturing and mining, with potential disruptions to raw material production including aluminum, iron ore, and timber if major unions engage in collective action
• Montreal is a major logistics hub along the Saint Lawrence River, with concerns about impact on North American eastern inland transport routes if union strikes spread
• Considering that Bill 89 is legislation restricting strike rights, continued union opposition raises risks of prolonged labor-management conflicts in key industries such as manufacturing and transportation
• Possibility of increased nationwide supply-chain instability if it expands to solidarity protests by major Canadian unions

3) Watch points

• Bill 89 processing schedule and whether unions announce additional collective action plans
• Production halt signals or labor-management negotiation progress at major manufacturers and mining companies in Quebec
• Signs of protest spread to other major cities (Toronto, Vancouver, etc.) and federal government mediation intervention movements