ISSUE/SOURCE: Media articles are reporting that the Ambassador Bridge border crossing between Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit, Michigan, was shut down after an anti-vaccine mandate demonstration blocked traffic in both directions on February 7, 2021.
SUGGESTED RESPONSES
- The CBSA is aware of protest activity in the area of the Windsor Ambassador Bridge, which began on February 7, 2021. As a result, both car and truck traffic entering Canada at the Ambassador Bridge was impeded, resulting in border wait times in excess of 90 minutes.
- Due to this blockage, the CBSA issued a Border Alert to advise clients and stakeholders of the temporary closure of Canada-bound traffic to the Bridge. Clients have been advised to use the border crossings at the Windsor Tunnel for passenger vehicles and small trucks, with the Sarnia Blue Water Bridge being the alternate crossing site for commercial vehicles.
- The CBSA continuously monitors its operations and is ready to respond, with police of local jurisdiction if necessary, to any events impeding operations at ports of entry.
- CBSA ports of entry are secure controlled areas that must not be accessed by anyone not in the process of crossing the border.
- It is an offence under the Customs Act to hinder the ability of a border services officers while they conduct their work.
ENTERING CANADA TO PARTICIPATE IN PEACEFUL PROTESTS
- The intent to participate in lawful protests is not grounds to deny a person entry into Canada.
- As always, Border Services Officers across the country continue to be vigilant to ensure Quarantine Act requirements are met and individuals are seeking to enter Canada for a lawful purpose.
BACKGROUND:
On January 15, 2022, Order in Council (OIC) changes came into effect requiring mandatory vaccination for commercial truck drivers crossing the border. In response to this, large protests took place in the Ottawa area during the weekend of January 28 - 30, 2022 and are ongoing.
Protests and demonstrations spread to other cities in Canada, including at the Coutts, Alberta border crossing, and on the weekend of February 4 – 6, 2022, at Queens Park in Toronto and the provincial legislature in Quebec City.
On Monday, February 7, 2022, the CBSA monitored protest activity in the area of the Windsor Ambassador Bridge. Initially the protest activity resulted in the blockage of the municipal roadway leading to the United States in the early afternoon. This activity, compounded with US Customs and Border Protection IT issues, resulted in delays for US bound trucks of up to 60 minutes. The protestors changed their tactics and blocked a one kilometre stretch of the municipal roadway leading to and from the Ambassador Bridge at approximately 1:30 pm. Approximately 75 passenger vehicles and one farm tractor were involved in blockage of the roadway. As a result, both car and truck traffic entering Canada at the Ambassador Bridge was impeded resulting in border wait times in excess of 90 minutes.
Throughout the afternoon and into the evening, protestors had temporarily allowed one lane of the roadway leading away from the Ambassador Bridge to be opened for emergency vehicles. The CBSA was able to clear all car and truck traffic that remained blocked on the Ambassador Bridge using surface streets and emergency exits from the Ambassador Bridge plaza.
As of 08:30 a.m. on Tuesday, February 8, the Ambassador Bridge remains temporarily closed to car and commercial truck traffic entering Canada. US-bound commercial trucks can continue to access the bridge and seek to enter the US utilizing surface streets, although the volume is significantly reduced.
The CBSA has engaged the Windsor Police Service, the local police force of jurisdiction, as well as the Ontario Provincial Police and US Customs and Border Protection to apprise each agency of the impacts to this critical border crossing. The CBSA has embedded a Chief of Operations into the Windsor City Police Command Centre to support and help with the management of the event as it pertains to cross border movement of travellers and commercial vehicles.
Due to this blockage, the CBSA issued a Border Alert to advise clients and stakeholders of the temporary closure of Canada-bound traffic to the Windsor Ambassador Bridge. Clients have been advised to utilize the border crossings at the Windsor Tunnel for passenger vehicles and small truck, with the Sarnia Blue Water Bridge being the alternate crossing site for commercial vehicles.
Participating in lawful protests, in and of itself, is not grounds to deny individuals entry into Canada and there is no legal authority to refuse entry to a foreign national solely for seeking to participate in a peaceful protest. [ Redacted ] There is no indication, however, that there was any noticeable cross-border activity of foreign nationals seeking to enter Canada from the United States to participate in such demonstrations.
[ Redacted ]
CBSA officers have regulatory authorities to administer the current Orders in Council (OICs) made pursuant to section 58 of the Quarantine Act. The OICs prohibit all non-exempted foreign nationals from entry to Canada if they do not meet the definition of fully vaccinated persons, which includes requirements to undergo suitable pre-arrival COVID-19 testing, and, in many cases, on-arrival or in-Canada testing. Foreign nationals entering from the United States who are so prohibited from entry pursuant to the OICs are immediately Directed Back to the United States.