Canadian, U.S. Officials Want Stronger Action On Trucker Protests

For two weeks, protestors opposing vaccine mandates in Canada have shut down streets in the nation’s capital of Ottawa. The protests spread last week, resulting in several provinces declaring states of emergency and U.S. and Canadian officials halting activity at border crossings.

The closures have impacted trade between the two countries. While the protests have created issues for manufacturers in a range of sectors, including steel, food, and health care, the auto sector has been hit especially hard. Specifically, closure of the Ambassador Bridge last week caused a shortage of automotive parts at carmaker Stellantis’ assembly plant in Ontario. (The bridge carries 25 percent of all trade between the United States and Canada.)

Without access to key components, U.S. auto manufacturers also were forced to shut down some of their plants last week. Ford and Toyota paused or reduced production at several factories in Canada while General Motors canceled shifts at a Lansing, Michigan plant. (After a Canadian judge ordered protesters at the Ambassador Bridge to end the 5-day-old blockade, police were able to break up the protests the weekend.)

Canadian and U.S. government and business officials are now calling for more substantial action to rein in the protests. For example:

• While Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is working with local officials to address the protests, U.S. officials want the prime minister to use his cabinet’s authority. Leaders of the U.S. Homeland Security and Transportation departments, for example, urged their Canadian counterparts “to use federal powers to resolve this situation.”
• To that end, on February 10, Prime Minister Trudeau convened a meeting of the Incident Response Group. That group serves as a dedicated emergency committee in the event of a national crisis that has major implications for Canada.
• The Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters called for an immediate end to the trucker blockades at the borders, arguing that they mean critical supplies like steel and electrical components are sitting at the border or taking longer to arrive.
• The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Manufacturers, and Business Roundtable called on the Canadian government to prevent “production cuts, shift reductions, and temporary plant closures.” (Read these groups’ statement here.
• The cabinet in the province of Ontario may enact orders that would make it illegal to impede the movement of goods, people, and services along critical infrastructure. Punishment could include fines as high as C$100,000 and up to a year in prison.

Canadian ministers have called the blockade illegal and asked protesters to return home. Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said, “Those participating in the convoy are hurting Canadians. They pose serious dangers for the economy and they are breaking the law.”

While the Biden administration continues to press for more Canadian action, U.S. Customs and Border Protection is working to address the issue on its side of the border. The agency has posted signage throughout the area to redirect traffic to other ports, is working with stakeholders to ensure manifests can be updated in an expedited manner, and has relayed a notice to field offices explaining that a port mismatch is not grounds for stopping a truck at this time.

Companies wishing to share feedback regarding the protests and resulting blockages may engage directly with CBP by emailing TradeEvents@cbp.dhs.gov.