An ongoing truck blockade on the Canadian side of the border in Windsor, Ontario is leading to production cuts at assembly plants and warnings of delays in new vehicle shipments to dealerships. Stay with this live blog for the latest developments at one of North American’s busiest land border crossings and the impact in the automotive industry:
Feb. 10, 2:44 p.m.: More police on the way, says Windsor mayor
Feb. 10, 2:12 p.m.: Windsor council to seek injunction to end bridge blockade
Feb. 10, 2:05 p.m. :Ambassador Bridge owner Moroun to Trudeau: Concede vaccine mandate or clear trucks at bridge blockade
Four days into a blockade that has brought international trade at the Ambassador Bridge to a grinding halt, Detroit International Bridge Co. Chairman Matthew Moroun thinks Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has three options:
- Trudeau can end Canada’s COVID vaccine mandate for truck drivers after the vast majority of them got inoculated against the virus
- He can order law enforcement agencies to start towing vehicles and arresting the protesters who have blocked access to the Moroun family-owned Ambassador Bridge,
- The third option, Moroun said, is to “do nothing and hope it goes away.”
–Crain’s Detroit Business
Feb. 10, 2:02 p.m.: Toyota operations impacted
Reuters reports Toyota is suspending production through Saturday at its plants in Ontario and Kentucky due to supply issues stemming from trucking protests in Canada at the Windsor-Detroit border. Production of the RAV4, RAV4 hybrid, Camry, Avalon, Lexus RX and Lexus ES are currently impacted.
“We expect disruptions through the weekend, and we’ll continue to make adjustments as needed,” Toyota said in a statement. “While the situation is fluid and changes frequently, we do not anticipate any impact to employment at this time.”
Feb. 10, 1:17 p.m.: Trade associations say blockade straining auto supply chain
Industry groups representing the Detroit 3 automakers, suppliers and equipment manufacturers on Thursday urged the Biden administration to improve efforts to address the ongoing blockade at the Ambassador Bridge at the U.S.-Canada border.
Feb. 10, 12:52 p.m.: Windsor mayor says protesters could be removed by force
Reuters reports Drew Dilkens, mayor of Windsor, Ontario, has called the blockade illegal and asked protesters to return home. Police near the Ambassador Bridge have begun receiving additional manpower.
“(If) the protesters don’t leave, there will have to be a path forward. If that means physically removing them, that means physically removing them, and we’re prepared to do that,” Dilkens said.
Dilkens and Canadian auto industry officials will be holding a press conference at 2 pm ET to provide an update on the local response to the protests, disrupting U.S.-Canada trade along the Ambassador Bridge. Also present will be:
- Flavio Volpe, President, Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association
- Brian Kingston, President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association
- Rakesh Naidu, President & CEO, Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce
Automotive News Canada journalists will cover the press conference. Live updates will be posted on the Automotive News Twitter account.
Feb. 10, 11:30 a.m: Linamar CEO calls on protestors to end blockade
Linda Hasenfratz, CEO of supplier Linamar Corp., issued a direct plea to the demonstrators blocking access to the Ambassador Bridge. “To the protestors, please get off the bridge and let our people get back to work earning money for their families,” Hasenfratz said in a statement Thursday. “The last two years have been so disruptive to every one of us and our families with situations we can’t control; this one we can.”
Feb. 10, 11 a.m.: Honda says U.S. and Canada plants running but disruptions possible
Honda of Canada, which operates assembly plants in Alliston, Ontario, temporarily suspended manufacturing on one production line Wednesday evening due to border delays but is back online, according to a company spokesman. “We continue to monitor the disruption of transportation between Canada and the U.S. and will adjust production scheduling as necessary. Further production delays as a result of these disruptions are certainly possible.”
Feb. 10, 10:15 a.m.: Michigan governor tells Canada to reopen bridge traffic