Thousands of railroad workers in Canada went on strike Thursday after contract negotiations broke down. Economists and transit officials in Maine are monitoring the situation closely to understand how the stoppage could affect Maine.
University of Maine researcher Stefano Tijerina studies Canada's international trade.
He said the U.S. is the biggest market for Canadian oil exports, and that some of that oil is transported by rail through Maine.
If the work stoppage drags on, Tijerina said it could drive up the cost of Canadian imports.
"We would probably see an increase in the price of oil, and we would probably see an increase in commodities that we bring from Canada," Tijerina said.
For now, though, Tijerina said it's still too early to say what the fallout will look like.
A spokesperson for the Maine Department of Transportation said the agency was monitoring the situation but does not expect any short-term impacts on the Maine economy.
