The Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) is raising concerns about a proposal by Windsor’s mayor to impose temporary tolls on trucks using Huron Church Road to access the Ambassador Bridge.

The tolls would take effect May 1 and remain in place until the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, currently scheduled to open later this year.

OTA says the proposal would add unnecessary delays and costs along one of the busiest trade corridors between Canada and the United States.

“The proposal does not make sense from a practical perspective by adding additional stops on an already congested stretch of road,” said Lak Shoan, OTA’s director of policy and industry awareness programs. “There could be ramifications to local businesses, the regional economy, and goods movement through a critical trade corridor.”

Huron Church Road serves as the primary commercial route linking Windsor to the Ambassador Bridge, which handles thousands of truck crossings each day between Windsor and Detroit.

OTA said imposing tolls on a route with no viable alternative would effectively penalize trucking companies and businesses that depend on efficient cross-border freight movement.

“With the Gordie Howe Bridge set to open soon, any proposal to toll trucks utilizing Huron Church Road is illogical, as there is no alternative access point to the Ambassador Bridge,” Shoan said. “Thousands of trucks cross this vital trade corridor every day, supporting the Windsor-Detroit economy.”

The association also warned the toll plan could increase congestion, create safety risks for motorists and local residents, and divert truck traffic to other border crossings such as the Blue Water Bridge in Sarnia.

OTA is urging the City of Windsor to reconsider the proposal and work with government and industry stakeholders to identify solutions that support trade flows through the Windsor-Detroit gateway without adding costs to the trucking sector.