A mere three weeks after the Ford government introduced a bill intended to prevent future blockades at the Ambassador Bridge and other border points, the Keeping Ontario Open for Business Act has passed in the Ontario legislature.
The legislation is effective immediately.
The Act gives $96-million to improve training at the Ontario Provincial Police College and buy equipment like tow trucks to remove vehicles and objects used to stop traffic. It gives police officers the power to suspend driver’s licenses and vehicle permits, and seize license plates at the roadside.
February’s week-long blockade at the Ambassador Bridge halted billions of dollars worth of trade between Canada and the U.S. Some businesses closed temporarily and laid off staff. Workers at the Windsor Assembly Plant and other factories were sent home early when supplies ran out. It also raised questions about the reliability of the supply chain between the two countries.
“Competitive international supply chains rely on predictable, reliable access through critical infrastructure corridors,” said the President of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association. “This legislation will help secure Ontario’s automotive suppliers’ jobs and footprint against new emerging threats.”
The federal government has offered to reimburse many Windsor businesses impacted by the blockade, but there are calls for the province to do the same.
The City of Windsor also requested compensation to cover the $5.7-million cost of policing the blockade and its aftermath.
The protest at the Ambassador Bridge resulted in the arrest of 46 people, 90 charges, and the seizure of 37 vehicles.
A three-week occupation in Ottawa resulted in over 100 arrests.
