The Windsor Police Service is coming to rely on legislation that prohibits impeding access to infrastructure like the Ambassador Bridge.
Bill 100, the Keeping Ontario Open for Business Act, was passed in April 2022 in response to the the protest that blocked traffic from accessing the border crossing for nearly seven days.
"We continue to use it weekly," said Windsor Police Deputy Chief Jason Crowley. "We are seeing protests of various kinds across the area on a weekly basis."
The bill allows police to take immediate action to clear any blockades and suspend driver's licenses and vehicle permits of individuals involved. Significant fines can also be imposed.
"KOOBA [the Keeping Ontario Open for Business Act] has so many pieces of legislation that were pulled from other pieces of legislation and basically put into one and that provides us with broad powers on enforcement and consequences of actions," said Crowley.
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens indicated he's still looking for more compensation for policing the international crossing.
"There's definitely issues with respect to costs that are passed on to tax payers through municipal police services that deal with these protests related to or using the international border crossing as the mechanism to get attention," said Dilkens.
The Windsor Police Service has a detailed operational plan to address responses to the Ambassador Bridge that utilizes enforcement strategies given to them by Bill 100.
