Brewster bus workers hold practice picket in Banff after voting to authorize strike

More than 100 Brewster employees have voted in favour of a strike mandate after rejecting the company's latest offer.

Brewster employees will gather in Banff Thursday for an informational practice picket as they ramp up pressure for a new contract.

In June, 85 per cent of the approximately 125 drivers, mechanics and bus washers voted in favour of a strike mandate, after rejecting the company’s latest contract offer.

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Brewster is owned by Pursuit Attractions and Hospitality, a U.S. based tourism company that operates transportation and attractions in Banff and Jasper.

The union says bargaining has been ongoing for more than six months, with workers calling for higher wages and better working conditions.

“Our employer is a multi-billion-dollar American company that earns hundreds of thousands of dollars a day from Canadian labour performed in Canadian national parks,” said Nicole Kruger, president and business agent of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1415.

“It is only fair that Brewster compensate its workers fairly, so we can live with dignity in a region that continues to face an extreme cost of living crisis.”

Alex Grant, vice-president of operations, Canada operations with Pursuit says, “After six months of negotiations, the parties reached a tentative agreement that reflected meaningful progress at the bargaining table and was endorsed by the union bargaining committee, but it was ultimately not ratified by the membership.”

“Our focus remains on bargaining in good faith toward a renewed agreement that is fair for our team members while continuing to provide safe, reliable service for our guests and the communities we serve.”

Thursday’s demonstration is intended to raise awareness as the two sides move through the federally mandated cooling-off period.

The demonstration takes place at noon in front of the Brewster Sightseeing office in Banff.

Workers can legally strike on July 28.

Competition watchdog report

Last winter, Canada’s competition watchdog released a report calling for the company to be forced to sell off some of its attractions in the area.

The watchdog said its ownership level is well above anti-competitive levels of market concentration and advocated that Pursuit sells off assets “to keep our national parks Canadian.”

The company owns six of the nine major tourist attractions in the two parks, including the Banff Gondola and Columbia Icefields Skywalk.

In 2024, Canada’s Competition Bureau launched an investigation into the company’s dominance of the Banff and Jasper sightseeing industries.

Operators at Norquay, Lake Louise and Banff Sunshine filed a complaint against Pursuit’s parent company, Viad Corp.

At the time, they accused Viad and its subsidiary Pursuit of setting up a monopoly after acquiring the Jasper SkyTram.

But, in the spring 2025, the bureau sent Norquay Ski and Sightseeing Resort a note saying its investigation had come back clear.