WINDSOR, Ontario – The mayor of the city of Windsor in Ontario, Canada held a news conference Wednesday afternoon to address COVID-related protests that have shut down travel on the Ambassador Bridge.
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Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens is addressed the public from the Windsor City Hall Wednesday in response to demonstrations that have caused significant backups at two international bridges between Michigan and Canada: the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit, and the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron. Part of the Ambassador Bridge, whose Canadian end is located in Windsor, has been closed to travelers entering Canada as of Tuesday.
Traffic headed to the U.S. from Canada can utilize the bridge.
More: US-bound traffic now fully open on Ambassador Bridge; traffic into Canada still closed
Protests are being carried out by a Canadian group called the “Freedom Convoy,” which is comprised of truck drivers who oppose a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for truck drivers entering Canada. Those who don’t get vaccinated are subject to COVID testing and quarantine requirements.
The protests began in Ottawa at the beginning of the month, and have since moved toward Windsor, with the Ambassador Bridge as the intended target. The backup at that bridge began at about 3 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 7.
Traffic has since been rerouted to the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron, but truck drivers are seeing significant backups there, as well. The bridge does not typically see the amount of travelers that the Ambassador Bridge does. Trucks were backed up for several miles in Port Huron as of Wednesday morning.
From Tuesday: Aerial video shows trucks backed up for miles and miles at Blue Water Bridge to Canada