Canadian Shares Surge in Volume to 427th Rank as Airline Strike Sparks Sector Turmoil

On August 18, 2025, Canadian shares traded with a volume of $0.22 billion, marking a 78.69% increase from the previous day and ranking 427th in market activity. Meanwhile, Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) shares declined 0.92% amid broader sector pressures.

The airline sector faced heightened volatility as Air Canada flight attendants escalated their strike over unpaid work allegations, prompting federal government intervention. Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu announced a probe into the sector’s labor practices, a move expected to intensify scrutiny on industry labor agreements. The dispute has led to widespread flight cancellations, stranding travelers and disrupting Air Canada’s financial projections. Analysts highlighted potential operational risks for the airline, including a projected $300 million weekly earnings hit during the crisis.

Labour leaders criticized the government’s use of Section 107 of the Labour Code to enforce arbitration, arguing it undermines workers’ rights to strike. The Canada Industrial Relations Board declared the strike unlawful after the union defied an order to return to work, but union officials vowed to continue their action. Legal experts noted the lack of parliamentary debate in invoking Section 107, raising concerns about its precedent for future labor disputes in federally regulated industries.

The strategy of buying the top 500 stocks by daily trading volume and holding them for one day from 2022 to 2025 yielded a 1-day return of 0.98%, with a total return of 31.52% over 365 days. This suggests limited effectiveness in capturing short-term momentum, reflecting market volatility and timing risks inherent in such strategies.