Officials in border city of Windsor, Ont., say closure is for the best
Posted March 18, 2020 2:27 pm.
Last Updated March 18, 2020 11:28 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Officials in Windsor, Ont., say the decision to partially close the Canada-U.S. border to slow the spread of COVID-19 is for the best despite the inevitable impact it will have on the local economy.
Located on the north shore of the Detroit River, Windsor boasts the busiest crossing between the two countries.
The city’s chamber of commerce estimates about $500 million worth of goods flow through the local border crossing every day.
The chamber’s president says closing the border to that trade would have been catastrophic, but praised the government for allowing goods to keep moving.
Windsor’s mayor says that while the city will undoubtedly take an economic hit, limiting border traffic is the right thing to do as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread.
Drew Dilkens says traffic between Windsor and Detroit had already slowed to a trickle in light of previously announced measures that shuttered most local businesses and tourist attractions.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 18, 2020.
The Canadian Press
