Truckers taking part in the “Freedom Rally” are beginning to arrive in the Greater Toronto Area as of Thursday morning. This rally is intended to be a means of protesting vaccine mandates that would require members of all federally regulated industries to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Ontario Provincial Police are reminding people that this rally will likely cause travel delays through the weekend, and reminding motorists to be aware of oncoming emergency vehicles. Some first responders have had difficulty responding to emergencies due to the congested traffic.

The Canadian Trucking Alliance has stated that they do not support this protest. They have noted that approximately 85 percent of truck drivers that regularly cross the Canadian-U.S. Border are fully vaccinated. However, these mandates could still potentially sideline over 16,000 drivers.

More drivers and supporters are expected to arrive through the weekend.

Image Credit: Global News