The mayor of North Cowichan, B.C., is reiterating calls for the province to step in and end a five-month-long transit strike on Vancouver Island.

The strike, which began on Feb. 8 and is the longest transit contract dispute in the province's history, affects about 50 bus drivers, maintenance workers and cleaners in the region north of Victoria. 

Cowichan Valley's transit system covers more than 45 kilometres, north to south, and the valley itself has around 90,000 residents.

Over the weekend, work…