Local 517 of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) began in 1943 as the Vancouver Harbour Employees' Association, a small and independent union local certified as the bargaining agent for employees of the National Harbours Board (known today as the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority) in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

The Vancouver Harbour Employees' Association joined the ILWU in 1965 to become Local 517.  With this event, what was then known as the International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union welcomed its first Canadian female members. 

Today our diverse membership of nearly 300 includes a variety of office, maintenance, facilities and operations professionals.

​Find out more about us by checking out our website.