Manitoba Border Crossing Latest Target of ‘Freedom’ Protesters

Trade Update • FEBRUARY 11, 2021

A “large number” of protesters in semi-trailer trucks, farm equipment and other vehicles gathered at Manitoba’s main Canada-U.S. border crossing yesterday morning, blocking the normally busy Emerson port of entry and creating additional havoc for the country’s already stressed supply chains.

Local RCMP advised that the demonstration was preventing vehicles from getting through either northbound or southbound on Highway 75, the major link between Winnipeg and the U.S. border. Traffic is therefore being re-routed through the border crossing at Gretna, where commercial truck drivers are reportedly not being required to redo their customs paperwork.

The Canada Border Services Agency said it is “working collaboratively with law enforcement partners to restore normal border operations at affected ports of entry as quickly as possible.”

The Agency also said that it is continuously monitoring changes in demand at alternate points of entry and is allocating resources, adjusting staffing levels and hours of service to minimize processing times and potential delays.