A truckers’ blockade in Windsor, Ont. was so relaxed local police complained they couldn’t earn enough overtime, records show. However, the food provided was "top notch,” according to a police department report submitted to the Public Order Emergency Inquiry. Cabinet had pointed to the Windsor blockade as a contributing factor in its use of the Emergencies Act..“Officers were upset that other services were contacted to come work for double time before Windsor officers were given the opportunity,” said the internal June 8 report Freedom Convoy Ambassador Bridge Blockade Debrief. “Overtime became an immediate concern,” wrote management..“Officers were well paid the entire time,” said the report. “Everyone came together and all services worked well together.”.According to Blacklock's Reporter, a junior constable’s pay in Windsor is $106,000 a year. Overtime is paid at double time “to members who work more than three hours of overtime in continuous duty at the end of their shift,” according to the Windsor Police Association’s collective agreement..“Officers remained professional and didn’t complain about the inclement weather,” said the censored 173-page Freedom Convoy report. “The food provided was top notch and officers were extremely grateful.”.Police catering costs totaled $540,000. Overtime cost $2.5 million, the largest single expense from the six-day protest..The Windsor Police Service in an Oct. 11 Institutional Report acknowledged there were no deaths, injuries or property damage from the six-day protest. Forty-seven people were arrested. “The Ambassador Bridge blockade was concluded in about a week although Windsor Police Service was required to remain vigilant in the weeks that followed,” wrote management..“Throughout these events Windsor Police sought to keep the peace, enforce legislation, establish and maintain the safe flow of traffic and respect individuals’ Charter rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of speech, all with public and officer safety being paramount,” said the report. “Windsor Police Service did this admirably. At a high level however the costs incurred by the Windsor Police Service in responding to the Ambassador Bridge was $4,728,515.”.Truckers protesting vaccine mandates blocked the Windsor crossing to Detroit from Feb. 8 to 13. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland on Feb. 14 claimed the impact was devastating..“The blockade of the Ambassador Bridge has affected about $390 million in trade each day,” Freeland told reporters. “These costs are real.”.An internal Department of Transport memo said actual losses were no more than $45 million a day as shippers diverted truck traffic to other border crossings at Sarnia, Fort Erie and Queenston, Ont. “It is estimated the cost to the Canadian economy of a full shutdown of the Bridge would likely be in the range of $45 million per day,” said the Feb. 11 memo Backgrounder On The Impact Of A Road Blockade At The Ambassador Bridge.
