Border Blockades’ Limited Duration Had Little Trade Impact, Says Finance Official

Truckers and supporters block the access leading from the Ambassador Bridge, linking Detroit and Windsor, as truckers and their supporters protested against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and restrictions, in Windsor, Ont., on Feb. 11, 2022. The Canadian Press/Nathan Denette

The cross-country border blockades of last winter to protest COVID-19 restrictions had a limited impact on trade, a senior finance department official told the Public Order Emergency Commission on Nov. 17.

“I think that it’s fair to say that the economic impact was limited, but it was limited because the duration of the blockades was limited,” said Rhys Mendes, assistant deputy minister for economic policy at the ministry of finance.