In the latest disruption, top US car seller Toyota announced that it was shutting down a factory in Ontario as Ford said an engine factory in Canada will temporarily cease production as the economic impact of the Canadian trucker protests manifest, Reuters reports.
While the blockade of key bridges along the US-Canada border have led to the decision to shut down, other factors–such as severe weather and an ongoing computer chip shortage–also contributed to the shutdown.
“I think it’s important for everyone in Canada and the United States to understand what the impact of this blockage is – potential impact – on workers, on the supply chain, and that is where we’re most focused,” White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said on Wednesday. “We’re also looking to track potential disruptions to U.S. agricultural exports from Michigan into Canada.”