What’s happening with traffic on Day 4 of the Windsor border protest

Traffic at the Canada-U.S. border in Windsor, Ont., remains impacted by protesters for a fourth straight day as there are increasing calls to reopen the crossing.

A group protesting COVID-19 mandates set up the blockade on Huron Church Road on Monday. On Wednesday police estimated there were about 100 demonstrators, but the number continues to fluctuate into Thursday as the traffic disruption continues.

Southbound and northbound lanes have been blocked at the corner of Huron Church and College Avenue at the foot of the bridge.

One trucker who only wanted to be referred to as Jeff, tells CTV News he’s lost 14 hours due to backups at the Blue Water Bridge in Sarnia and now at the Ambassador Bridge on Thursday.

“They say they are trying to help us, but they are hindering us,” he says. “They are stopping us from doing our job, putting food on the shelves and feeding the people.”

Windsor police and OPP at Patricia Road and Wyandotte Street in Windsor, Ont., on Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022. (Bob Bellacicco / CTV Windsor)

Some vehicles were able to access the bridge from the Wyandotte Street West entrance earlier in the week, but that was also impacted on Wednesday night. Police say trucks attempting to access the entrance on Thursday morning were met by protesters.

Mark Vanderbeck took to the sidewalk across the street to protest the protesters. He says he doesn’t understand how protesters can fight for freedom while denying others their freedom.

“They’re shaking their heads a little but that’s okay. I’m just showing that you can actually walk down the sidewalks and protest instead of closing a road,” he said. 

Windsor police Chief Pam Mizuno says officers continue to monitor the situation and are working to get traffic flowing. She says the top priority is public safety. The city has asked for federal assistance to support police.

As of 11 a.m. Thursday, the Canada Border Service Agency reported the Ambassador Bridge is still “temporarily closed” to traffic from the United States to Canada. The Windsor-Detroit tunnel is open for passenger vehicles with no delay reported.

The blockage has forced several car makers to scale back production. Unifor Local 444 president Dave Cassidy says workers are becoming collateral damage.

“When that Windsor Assembly Plant doesn’t run that’s tens of thousands of workers,” he said. “It something that really, the government needs to step up to here and do something."

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is reporting eight lanes are open from Canada to the United States at the bridge with no wait times, if vehicles can get access.

Commercial vehicles are being told to use the Blue Water Bridge international crossing in Sarnia. As of 11 a.m., there was over and hour wait from the U.S. to Canada at that crossing.

With files from CTV Windsor's Bob Bellacicco.