For several days, protests have been going on on the Ambassador Bridge between Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor.
(Photo: AP)
Ottawa The North American auto industry is increasingly concerned about disruptions caused by a protest against coronavirus measures on a bridge connecting Canada and the United States. In view of the blockade of the important bridge between the city of Windsor and Detroit, which continued on Thursday, the car manufacturers Ford and Toyota, among others, were forced to partially stop their production lines. Operations have been scaled back at a factory in Oakville, Ford said.
Protests have been going on since Monday on the Ambassador Bridge between Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor. As a result, trucks cannot enter Canada. The trip to the USA was possible. 25 percent of US-Canada trade crosses the bridge. “We hope this situation will be resolved quickly because it could have widespread implications for all automakers in the US and Canada,” Ford said.
“Every day this transition closes, it impacts the economies of the United States and Canada by $400 million,” Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said Thursday. 400 million Canadian dollars corresponds to about 275 million euros. Dilkens announced that he wanted to obtain an injunction to remove the blockage.
>> Also read: Trucker protests in Canada spread
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Due to shortages of components due to the blockade, General Motors also reduced its operations in one factory. The affected shift is expected to resume on Thursday (today), spokesman Dan Flores said. A Toyota spokesman said the group could not guarantee production at three factories in Canada for the rest of the week because components were missing. In a statement, problems in the supply chain, the weather and the coronavirus pandemic were blamed.
Protesters have also blocked a border crossing in Coutts, Alberta. According to police, 50 to 74 vehicles and around 100 demonstrators are involved in the protest on the Ambassador Bridge. Some have said they are willing to die to get their cause, said Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens.
Justin Trudeau defends coronavirus restrictions
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday defended the coronavirus restrictions being imposed by the federal government. This includes the requirement that truck drivers crossing the border into Canada must be considered fully vaccinated. Many truck drivers have protested against this.
The provinces are responsible for most of the coronavirus restrictions in Canada. The provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Quebec, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia announced this week that they would reduce most or all restrictions. Alberta immediately lifted the vaccination certificate requirement. The mask requirement should be eliminated there by the end of February. Opposition leader Rachel Notley accused provincial leader Jason Kenney of allowing an “illegal lockdown to impose public health measures.”
Thousands of people have been demonstrating in Canada against corona measures and vaccination regulations for days. With trucks and other vehicles, they blocked, among other things, parts of downtown Ottawa. The protests initially focused on vaccination requirements for truck drivers and then on government pandemic restrictions overall. In January, a regulation came into effect requiring truck drivers returning from the United States to also present proof of vaccination.
More: Uprising against corona regulations – Ottawa declares a state of emergency