Here's how a possible railway stoppage would land in Alberta

The clock is ticking as Canada's two main rail companies — Canadian National Railway (CN) and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) — remain in a deadlock with the Teamsters union, which represents around 10,000 workers at the two companies.

Unless the parties reach a last minute-agreement, a work stoppage is set to begin Aug. 22.

But impacts have already begun. CPKC says it will halt rail shipments originating in Canada and all shipments originating in the United States destined to Canada, as well as all carload traffic destined to Canada, starting Tuesday.

The Teamsters says the CPKC is pressuring the union for concessions that "would make it even harder for workers to predict when they might be called for work, creating a fatigue-related safety risk." It says CN is attempting to impose a "forced relocation policy, which could see workers forced to move across the country, tearing families apart in the process."

CPKC, meanwhile, has called its offer "status quo" and one that complies with regulatory requirements and doesn't compromise safety. CN says it has made four offers to the Teamsters since January that addressed wages, rest, labour availability and health and safety.

Absent some major movement, the lockout will start Thursday, leading to significant economic disruptions across the country. 

In recent days, Alberta provincial officials have released statements that have called on the federal government to address the possible disruptions. On Monday, Matt Jones, Alberta's minister of jobs, economy and trade, said a rail shutdown would impact "at least $55 million of Alberta exports per day."

"We could see a shutdown of both of our rail lines, and that, to us, the Alberta government, is unacceptable," Jones said in an interview with CBC News. 

"The collateral damage to Albertans, our businesses, Canadians, our reputation as a country that can supply the world with energy and food, will be irreparably harmed."

So what would the implications of a simultaneous shutdown of these two rail companies be for Alberta's economy?

There are about 30,000 jobs in Alberta that are directly or indirectly tied to the railways, according to Adam Legge, president of the Business Council of Alberta.

"Think of the thousands of businesses across the country that require and rely on consistent, reliable rail shipping to stock their shelves and be able to sell their goods and their wares," Legge said to CBC Calgary News at 6 host Rob Brown last week.

Alberta transported $20 billion in goods via rail in 2023. That's higher than the $17.9 billion it transported via water, $15.4 billion via road, and $2.1 billion via air.

The economic impacts of such a disruption to the supply chain would compound the affordability crisis already affecting the country, Legge said.