Brown, cloudy water possible in Metro Vancouver as workers' pickets expand: union

Watersheds, water filtration and water treatment plants were behind picket lines Monday, as workers for the regional district continue to strike.

Striking Metro Vancouver workers have expanded labour action to cover the region’s watersheds and treatment plants, but the union says there will be no risk to public health.

The Greater Vancouver Regional District Employees’ Union says in a statement that drinking water in the area may show turbidity — or quality that appears brown or cloudy — due to the expansion of picket lines.

Union president Jesse Medeiros says the members are respecting their essential-service designations, and “will not jeopardize public health at any time in this dispute.”

But Medeiros warns that the latest job action by more than 700 outside workers may result in turbid water coming from Metro Vancouver taps.

The facilities affected by the latest picket include watersheds in Capilano, Seymour and Coquitlam, as well as the Seymour-Capilano Filtration Plant and the Coquitlam Water Treatment Plant.

The weeks-long dispute has seen rotating picket lines at Metro Vancouver’s head office, operations centres and wastewater treatment facilities.

In a statement, Metro Vancouver denied any residents would “experience turbidity as a result of job action.”

“Clean, quality drinking water is an essential service and is protected through essential services agreements, which ensure all critical treatment and monitoring processes remain in place,” the statement added.

Metro Vancouver also said it “repeatedly requested the appointment of a mediator” in the dispute, and is “ready to return to the bargaining table immediately,”

The union’s last contract expired in December 2024, and Medeiros says there are no talks scheduled.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 1, 2026.