The Ambassador Bridge, a union trait between Windsor, Canada’s side, and Detroit, is blocked since Monday by opponents of sanitary measures. Representatives of the economic world and authorities ask for reopening.
Le Monde with AFP
Representatives of various US and Canadian economic sectors asked Tuesday, February 8 the reopening of the Ambassador Bridge, vital commercial route between North American neighbors, blocked since Monday by protesters opposed to health measures.
This suspended bridge that connects Windsor, Canada, in Detroit, the United States, is crucial for the automotive industry but also for US hospitals employing many Canadian nurses.
“The disturbances at the Ambassador Bridge are an attack on the well-being of our citizens and businesses that employ them”, highlight the representatives of about sixty organizations including the Canadian Chamber of Commerce or that of Detroit.
“While our savings are part of the consequences of the pandemic, we can not allow any group to harm the cross-border trade that supports families on both sides of the border,” they write.
“A vital commercial artery” between the two countries
“Such blockages will have serious consequences for our economy, on our supply chain,” confirmed Omar Alghabra, the Canadian Transport Minister.
This is a “vital commercial artery between Canada and the United States,” said Ontario Prime Minister Doug Ford on Twitter.
This bridge sees some 40,000 people and for 323 million US dollars of goods every day. This is not the first crossing point between the United States and Canada targeted by the anti-sanitary protesters: the crossing crossing of Cutes, Alberta, was blocked several days before reopening Tuesday afternoon, a announced the provincial police.
Faced with the determination of protesters, particularly in Ottawa, whose center has been blocked for more than 10 days by 400 to 500 trucks, a movement seemed to commit Tuesday to relax the health restrictions against CVIVID among the strictest COVIDs. world.
Some provinces announced Tuesday of the relief: the Saskatchewan (center) will give up the end of February to its vaccinal passport that “the benefits no longer outweigh the costs”. Alberta is the following on the list. And for the first time since the establishment of new restrictions related to the Omicron wave, Quebec detailed a schedule for future relaxation in February and March.
“We are all tired of restrictions, having to make sacrifices almost every day but our responsibility as a government is to ensure the health and safety of everyone,” said Justin Trudeau Tuesday in the House of Commons.