'It's put a hurt on certain folks': Anticipated end to border blockade in Manitoba brings relief to trucking industry

The anticipated end to the border blockade is welcome news for some Manitoba industries.

While some traffic had been allowed through by demonstrators, many commercial truck drivers had to find alternate routes to get to the U.S. and back to Canada.

And that’s been taking a bite out of the bottom lines of some local businesses.

“Some of our members are having to come in through Saskatchewan instead of coming through Emerson, depending on the commodities and where they’re coming from,” said Aaron Dolyniuk, executive director of the Manitoba Trucking Association.

He said fewer trucks have been travelling on Highway 75 over the past week, which is a key trade corridor between Winnipeg and the U.S.

While traffic is expected to pick up with the blockade coming to an end, the border disruption has created significant financial and logistical challenges.

Dolyniuk said he’s aware of one company that’s pegged the additional cost of the detours at $25,000 per day.

“In some cases they can pass that onto consumers which impacts us, but in other cases they have to absorb that cost because it’s a contractual relationship that they have to move that freight,” Dolyniuk said.

Paul Larson, a professor of supply chain management at the University of Manitoba’s Asper School of Business, said trucking companies and drivers have borne the brunt of the border blockade in Manitoba.

“It’s put a hurt on certain folks, particularly in the trucking industry,” Larson said.

“The estimates went even upwards of $2,000 a day essentially being taken out of the pockets of owner/operators. I mean that industry is rather lean at the margin, right, so that makes a big difference.”

He said while the supply chain remains resilient to deal with temporary disruptions such as the blockade, it led to some delays on the delivery of goods.

“But in the grander scheme of things, I don’t think it’s going to sort of impact any long-term trade and relationships,” Larson said.

Rick Bergmann, chair of the Canadian Pork Council, said trucks carrying sows and piglets transported from Canada to be raised in the U.S. have been allowed by demonstrators in Manitoba to move across the border.

He said while the blockade in this province has only caused minor slowdowns for his industry, he welcomed the news of a possible full reopening of the border.

“We focus on trade and export and it’s a big business and it’s a business in real time so it would be great news to hear that would be something of the past,” Bergmann said.

The Manitoba Trucking Association said drivers have been forced to detour onto secondary highways in some cases which means travelling longer distances on single-lane roads with fewer services.

Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister, said Monday about $73 million in daily trade has been affected by the blockade at Emerson. Trade that is expected to be restored at some point Wednesday.