A protester-led blockage of the Canada-Detroit bridge demanding an end to Canada's COVID-19 restrictions forced the closure of a Ford facility on Wednesday, with ramifications for the North American car sector.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has resisted calls to ease Canada's COVID-19 restrictions in the face of rising pressure from protesters against the restrictions and Trudeau himself in recent weeks.

At the Ambassador Bridge between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, the protest by largely pickup truck drivers entered its third day. Canada-bound travel was halted, but US-bound traffic continued to flow.

The bridge transports 25% of all goods between the two nations, and Canadian officials have expressed growing concern about the economic consequences.

Ford announced late Wednesday that component shortages had forced it to close its Windsor engine facility and operate an assembly plant in Oakville, Ontario, on a modified schedule.

General Motors was also forced to cancel the second shift of the day at its midsize SUV production near Lansing, Michigan, due to shortages caused by the blockade. According to spokeswoman Dan Flores, it is slated to resume Thursday with no more disruption anticipated for the time being.

Later Wednesday, Toyota spokesperson Scott Vazin stated that the business would not produce anything at its three Canadian operations for the remainder of this week due to component shortages. According to a statement, the issue was caused by supply chain, weather, and pandemic-related matters, yet the shutdowns occurred just days after the embargo began on Monday.

As the omicron surge subsides, a growing number of Canadian provinces have begun to relax some of their precautions. Still, Trudeau defended the federal government's measures, including one that has enraged many truck drivers: a rule that took effect Jan. 15 requiring truckers entering Canada to be fully vaccinated.

"The reality is that vaccine mandates, and the fact that Canadians stepped up to get vaccinated to almost 90 percent , ensured that this pandemic didn't hit as hard here in Canada as elsewhere in the world," Trudeau said in Parliament.

Around 90% of truck drivers in Canada are vaccinated, and trucking organizations and several large-rig owners have condemned the protests. The United States has a similar vaccine requirement for truck drivers entering the country, so Trudeau lifting the barrier would make no difference.

Additionally, protesters have been blocking the Coutts, Alberta, border crossing for a week and a half, with approximately 50 trucks remaining there Wednesday. And, in a protest that began late last month, over 400 trucks have immobilized downtown Ottawa, Canada's capital.

While demonstrators have called for Trudeau's ouster, the most restrictive restrictions across the country have been implemented by provincial governments. These include regulations that individuals provide immunization "passports" while entering restaurants, gyms, theaters, and sporting activities.

Alberta, Saskatchewan, Quebec, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia all announced plans to scale back some or all of their safeguards this week. Alberta, Canada's most conservative jurisdiction, immediately ceased issuing vaccine passports and intends to eliminate mask requirements by the end of the month.

Rachel Notley, Alberta's opposition leader, accused Premier Jason Kenney of allowing an "illegal blockade to dictate public health measures."

Despite Alberta's announcement that it would repeal its regulations, the protests continued.

"We've got guys here — they've lost everything due to these mandates, and they're not giving up, and they're willing to stand their ground and keep going until this is done," protester John Vanreeuwyk, a feedlot operator from Coaldale, Alberta, said.

"We do not move until Trudeau moves," he stated.

Concerning the roadblock of the Ambassador Bridge, Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens stated police had refrained from removing individuals out of fear of inflaming the situation. "We're not going to let this happen for a prolonged period of time." he added.

The event featured between 50 and 74 automobiles and approximately 100 protesters, according to authorities. According to the mayor, several demonstrators have stated their willingness to die for their cause.

"I'll be brutally honest: You are trying to have a rational conversation, and not everyone on the ground is a rational actor," Dilkens explained. "Police are doing what is right by taking a moderate approach, trying to sensibly work through this situation where everyone can walk away, nobody gets hurt, and the bridge can open."

To circumvent the blockade and enter Canada, truckers in the Detroit area were forced to go 70 miles north to Port Huron, Michigan, and cross the Blue Water Bridge, which experienced a 412-hour delay upon exiting the United States.

"I think the government and the media are drastically underestimating the resolve and patience of truckers." During a news conference in Ottawa, Benjamin Dichter, one of the protest organizers, stated that they excluded mainstream news organizations.

"Eliminate mandates. Leave the passports behind, "'He stated.

The "freedom truck convoy" was pushed by Fox News personalities and garnered support from several prominent Republicans in the United States, including former President Donald Trump.

Canada has significantly stronger pandemic limitations than the United States, but Canadians have mainly supported them. Canada's COVID-19 death rate is approximately one-third that of the United States.