Travellers can cross through the Pacific Highway border in Surrey, BC, once again after police cleared protesters Tuesday morning.
Surrey RCMP says they arrested 12 people Monday, bringing the total number of people detained at the demonstration to 16.
Later, police removed the vehicles that were blocking 176 Street. Police say pedestrians and vehicles are now able to use the road to access the border crossing.
“Local residents and businesses in the area have been patient and supportive as we’ve worked towards a resolution, with public safety always remaining at the forefront,”
-Assistant Commissioner Brian Edwards
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act on Monday, formerly known as the War Measures Act, to give the government temporary extra power to deal with the truck protests across the country.
The BC border crossing had been closed since the protest began on Saturday.
The Canada Border Services Agency said that traffic is once again moving normally through the Pacific Highway crossing. That crossing is typically used by truck traffic that’s too heavy to cross at Peace Arch in White Rock.
Dave Earle, president and CEO of the BC Trucking Association, said that while any border disruption is unwelcome, the anti-mandate blockade’s impact was small compared to other events the industry has dealt with this year.
“When compared to the recent BC floods, severe winter weather in much of the United States and our continuing driver shortage, any disruption caused by the blockade of the Pacific Highway crossing is unlikely to be felt by ordinary British Columbians,”
-Dave Earle