Economists say the cost of just two days of U.S. and Canada trade being halted at the border is $101 million. That’s after traffic was disrupted on the Ambassador Bridge this week by truckers protesting a vaccine mandate in Canada. Wayne State University economics professor Dr. Michael Belzer conducted an economic analysis of border crossing delays following the September 11 terror attacks and told Michigan News Network in 2022, with the pandemic and supply chain issues, the long-term effects from the Ambassador Bridge closure could be economically catastrophic.
“20 years ago, I think I would have answered we’ll get ourselves back in order in two or three weeks,” Belzer said. “Now, I don’t know how long that will take. So, this is a pretty major national security threat to the United States as well as to Canada.”
Belzer says if the Canadian government does not shut down the protest now and if the other border crossings are disrupted, the cost is incalculable.
