(WXYZ) — The Ambassador Bridge blockade and related trade disruptions associated with the “Freedom Convoy” protests caused an estimated $299.9M in direct losses to the auto industry, according to a new analysis from the Anderson Economic Group.
AEG says the losses are for the period of Feb. 7 through Feb. 15 and based on the disruptions in Sarnia and Windsor.
The estimate reportedly includes lost direct wages for Michigan, for Ontario and for some lost direct wages in Kentucky, Ohio, and Alabama.
Here are the loss estimates reported by AEG:
- Lost direct wages of $144.9M, most of which are in Michigan and Ontario
- Losses to automakers, including GM, Ford, Chrysler (Stellantis), Honda, and Toyota, of $155.0M
- Combined, direct losses to the auto industry total $299.9M
“Within hours of the trade disruption at the Ambassador and Blue Water bridges, we observed shortages and then slowdowns at assembly plants,” said Patrick Anderson, Anderson Economic Group’s Principal and CEO, in a press release. “Only some of that lost production can be made up given the tightness of the auto industry’s supply chain right now, so these are real losses to the men and women working in this industry.”
