Windsor, Ont., getting up to $6.9M from Ottawa for Ambassador Bridge blockade costs | CBC News

The federal government is reimbursing Windsor for the millions the southwestern Ontario city spent on the Ambassador Bridge blockade earlier this year.

Ottawa is giving Windsor up to $6.9 million for the costs of the blockade, including policing that helped “restore public safety at the bridge and the areas surrounding it,” Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said Thursday. 

During an announcement in Windsor, Mendicino said the amount will depend on what the total cost is from the city, which will be talked through.

The government said the illegal blockade by people protesting COVID-19 pandemic mandates caused layoffs, plant closures and “[endangered] our international reputation.” The money will make up the costs of managing and clearing the blockade.

Mendicino was joined Thursday by Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens, Liberal MP for Windsor-Tecumseh Irek Kusmierczyk, NDP MP for Windsor West Brian Masse and other city officials. 

Access to the bridge was blocked the evening of Feb. 7 by truck drivers and others protesting the mandates.

A court injunction preventing anyone from blocking access to the bridge was granted on Feb. 11, and the blockade was cleared on Feb. 13.

The city has been asking for compensation since then. 

In April, the federal government committed a total of $2.5 million for businesses impacted by the blockade, with about 240 businesses eligible to apply for non-repayable funds of up to $10,000 each for costs not covered by any other federal programs. 

Blockade response cost city $5.7M

Earlier this year, the City of Windsor asked the federal and Ontario governments to reimburse $5.7 million spent on the response to the week-long blockade.

The figure was included in a letter from Dilkens to Chrystia Freeland, the deputy prime minister and federal finance minister, and Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy, on March 15.

“OPP and RCMP support was critical towards clearing the occupation in a peaceful and safe way, and the commitment that your governments displayed at that time helped bolster all those, myself included, who were dealing with the emergency situation unfolding in our community,” Dilkens wrote. “I am asking you to reaffirm that commitment with the appropriative financial support the City of Windsor requires to cover the costs associated with clearing the illegal occupation.”

In an interview with CBC News in March, Dilkens said about $5.1 million of the total was related to policing services.

A breakdown of costs obtained by CBC News shows policing costs included $2.5 million in overtime, $1.3 million for jersey barriers, and $540,000 each for meals and accommodations.

A further $130,000 was paid to bring in the London Police Service (LPS) for support and $100,000 was spent on miscellaneous policing-related costs.

The breakdown also shows the city paid:

• $108,000 for public works wages and equipment.
• $40,000 for Transit Windsor, including wages, fuel and lost revenue.
• $37,000 for Essex-Windsor EMS wages and supplies.
• $25,000 for Windsor Fire and Rescue Services.
• $250,000 in legal fees (Dilkens said these related to the injunction).
• $15,000 for parks and facilities costs.
• $80,000 in community support.