Freedom Convoy: Ottawa to reimburse Windsor

OTTAWA-

The federal government is awarding Windsor up to $6.9 million in compensation for dealing with the Freedom Convoy protests that blocked the Ambassador Bridge in the southwestern Ontario city in February.

Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino said the government would help pay for the costs associated with the lockdowns, including police services, although the final amount is still under discussion.

Windsor has been seeking compensation since last winter, citing the high costs of closing businesses and restoring public order, and in April asked the federal government for $5.7 million.

Protesters opposed to COVID-19 mandates blocked the Ambassador Bridge, the busiest border crossing between Canada and the United States, on the evening of February 7 and were evacuated by police a week later.

The Liberal government has said the disruption of hundreds of millions of dollars of trade, particularly to the auto industry, was a key reason it invoked the Emergencies Act.

Meanwhile, the City of Ottawa has asked the federal government to cover the approximately $37 million in costs it has incurred for the downtown protests, but no announcement has been made.

This report from The Canadian Press was first published on December 29, 2022.