Auto industry setbacks slashed as US-Canada border blockade ends
Following a weeklong blockade, traffic was running free again on Sunday (13 February) along the Ambassador bridge, connecting Detroit and Windsor, Ontario on the United States-Canada border.
Sparked by Canadians protesting against pandemic mandates, the bridge - which receives 10,000 trucks and 4,000 cars per day or more - was blocked for a week before local police started breaking up crowds on Saturday.
During the protests, Honda, Toyota, General Motors, Ford Motor Co. and Stellantis were forced to temporarily cancel or scale back production at North American plants owing to parts shortages and other setbacks stemming from transportation disruptions along the route.
Canada’s Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA) and several other auto groups called for freeing up the conjestion, saying that the blockade was costing the automotive sector tens of millions of dollars every day.
The auto industry setbacks are seen diminishing this week (14-19 February).
Photo: Ambassador bridge, (source: Shutterstock)