VANCOUVER — The union representing Metro Vancouver outside workers says the two sides involved in an ongoing labour dispute have agreed to binding arbitration.

The Greater Vancouver Regional District Employees’ Union says the workers and the regional district have signed an agreement on terms of reference.

The union says in a statement the two sides will now have to agree on an arbitrator.

Metro Vancouver has confirmed the development and adds it was working with the union to find an arbitrator and resolve the dispute as soon as possible.

Unionized outside workers have been staging job action over the last few months with pickets going up at regional parks, water treatment facilities and Metro Vancouver headquarters, among other places.

The two sides have been without a contract for almost 20 months.

The union’s statement says the remaining issues to be resolved through binding arbitration relate to health and safety improvements, as well as the contracting out of unionized work and recruitment and retention of skilled labour.

President Jesse Medeiros says workers will continue some job action, including an overtime ban, until an arbitrator has decided to take on the case.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 25, 2026.