DETROIT (WXYZ) — Protests in Canada continue to cause major disruptions in the U.S. and Canadian economies, with the Ambassador Bridge still closed to Canadian bound traffic.
The bridge is the busiest international border crossing in North America, with roughly $400 million worth of goods crossing every day, according to the International Bridge Company. All commercial traffic is now being re-routed to the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron, causing significant delays. According to the Canadian Government, the wait was nearly five hours late Wednesday night.
According to the St Clair County Sheriff, the bridge employees have had to try and process more than double its normal capacity.
Late into Wednesday night, truckers were still slowly inching their way along the Bridge. The five-hour wait lasted through most of the day, with a backup of trucks reaching more than 15 miles on I-94. The St Clair County Sheriff’s Department blocked off nearly all eastbound entrance ramps to keep truck traffic off surface streets.
“We have some trucks that are getting off to try to find shortcuts and jump back on," said St. Clair County Sheriff Mat King. "We’ve had a couple barricades run over, clearly by a large vehicle.”
Aware of the backups, many drivers gave up and instead pulled off the road to wait it out.
At a rest stop more than 20 miles from the Blue Water Bridge, every space was full. Many of the truckers were trying to get to the bridge and instead of waiting in traffic, some decided to spend the night there in their trucks.
“It’s putting me back about two days," said Canadian truck driver Jim McCreadie of the closure. "Two days of lost wages.”
Truckers like McCreadie are a major part of the international economy. He says he hauls goods over the Ambassador Bridge multiple times a week. Now his delivery and his income are on hold.
“I only get paid by the mile, so if I don’t move the miles I don’t get any money,” McCreadie said.
The Ambassador Bridge has been shutdown to American traffic for two days after protests by other truckers over vaccine mandates in Windsor blocked off entry into Canada.
“Frankly, it can’t last much longer, that’s simply not an option,” said Brian Kingston, president and CEO of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association.
Kingston says auto parts and vehicles are Canada’s second largest export, working hand in hand with the Motor City in production. He estimates a part crosses the border up to eight times before final assembly into a vehicle.
“We’re worried that the longer this continues there’s a risk of a real jobs impact in the automotive sector, but even more broadly any industry in Canada that depends on U.S. trade,” Kingston said. “This is already having an impact.”
His association is calling on the Canadian government to move in and clear the border, but as the protest wages on it continues the divide between countries and a divide in opinion among drivers.
“I don't support them because they really bother everyone, especially truck drivers,” said Canadian truck driver Hassan Tiftikci. “The way they do protests, it’s not right.”
“Oh yeah, I'm right behind them,” McCreadie said of the protesters blocking the bridge. "Hopefully we can get Trudeau out."
The only other place these trucks can go is either Sault Ste Marie or Buffalo, NY. The wait in Buffalo grew to over an hour Wednesday night, according to online updates from the Canadian government.
