Protests against COVID-19 restrictions are going viral in Canada and are starting to threaten the economy. Here is the latest news
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Protests against COVID-19 mandates continue to snarl the streets of Canada’s capital and cripple cross-border crossings in Ontario and Alberta, blocking vital routes for goods.
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The demonstrations began when the self-described “Freedom Convey” descended on Ottawa on Jan. 28, to protest the federal government’s move to require that Canadian truck drivers crossing the U.S. border be fully vaccinated. It has since evolved into a protest against all public health measures aimed at fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizers say they will not end their protest until all measures are dropped.
Below are live updates on what’s happening across Canada today.
7:40 a.m.
Checking in with Canada border services:
The Ambassador Bridge in Windsor is still listed as “temporarily closed” as of 7:14 a.m. this morning, with waiting times at the nearby Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron, to which some traffic is diverting, listed as three hours.
The protestors, who are in support of the Truckers Freedom Convoy in Ottawa, have blocked traffic in the Canada-bound lanes of the bridge since Monday evening. Approximately US$323 million worth of goods cross the Windsor-Detroit border each day at the Ambassador Bridge, making it North America’s busiest international border crossing.
The delay at the Canada, U.S. border crossing at Coutts, Alberta, where another protest is stopping traffic, is listed as seven hours.
Additional reporting by Canadian Press, Reuters and Bloomberg
