To combat anti-vaccine mandate protests, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has taken the unusual step of invoking the Emergencies Act.

Trudeau stated that the extent of the measures would be "time-limited," "reasonable and appropriate," and that the military would not be deployed.

Banks will be allowed to freeze personal accounts of anybody associated with the protests without the requirement for a judicial order.

Hundreds of protesters continue in Canada's capital.

After a week-long standoff, law officers evicted anti-mandate demonstrators from the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, a vital link in Canada-US trade.

What began as a protest against a new law requiring all truckers to get vaccinated before crossing the US-Canada border, or face quarantine upon their return, has evolved into a larger challenge to all Covid health requirements.

"This is about keeping Canadians safe and people's employment safe," Trudeau said at a press conference on Monday.

He stated that the police will be given "additional tools" to detain or penalize demonstrators as well as to protect essential infrastructure.

Trudeau told reporters that the law will only be in effect for a limited time and in a very precise way.

Critics have pointed out that the prime minister expressed support for farmers in India who blocked major highways leading to New Delhi for a year in 2021, stating at the time that "Canada will always be there to protect the right of peaceful protest."

Trudeau's use of the Emergencies Act comes as protests in Canada reach their third week.

At a press conference on Monday, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland stated that banks will be empowered to freeze the personal accounts of anybody associated with the demonstrations without the need for a court order.

Anyone engaging in the demonstrators' vehicle insurance may also be suspended, she noted.

Freeland stated that as part of the endeavor, Canada's "Terrorist Financing" legislation will be expanded to include cryptocurrency and crowdfunding sites.

"It's all about the money," she said.

She responded after hackers revealed details of 93,000 payments for the truckers totaling $8.4 million (£6.2 million) to the crowdfunding portal GiveSendGo.

The 1988 Emergencies Act establishes a high legal threshold for using it. It may only be used in an "urgent and critical circumstance" that "seriously endangers Canadians' lives, health, or safety." Legal protests do not qualify.

On Monday, Canada's Justice Minister, David Lametti, said that these prerequisites had been satisfied.