The federal government is intervening in the Canadian railway shutdown.

Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon says he’s directed the Canada Industrial Relations Board to impose binding arbitration on the two sides in the dispute.

“I have also directed the Board to extend the term of the current collective agreements until new agreements have been signed, and for operations on both railways to resume forthwith,” MacKinnon told a news conference in Ottawa on Thursday afternoon.

It’s not clear how long it will take for the Industrial Relations Board to enact the federal government’s orders, meaning it’s not clear when trains will start rolling again.

“The process is that I direct the Canada Industrial Relations Board. They, of course, are an independent body, an arms-length body,” noted MacKinnon when asked when the trains will start rolling again.  “They have a process that includes and requires consultation with the parties. They will be doing that, and rendering a decision, I hope very quickly.”

Economists have warned that Canada looks to lose around a billion dollars every day the rail services in the country are shut down.

Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City locked out its employees Wednesday night at 9pm.