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Montana-Alberta border closure is frustrating for many

Coutts - Sweet Grass Border
US-Canada border crossing
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SWEET GRASS — Traffic has been halted again at the Sweet Grass-Coutts crossing at the Montana-Alberta border.The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) told MTN on Wednesday, February 9, 2022, that traffic is no longer flowing in the northbound or southbound lanes due to the ongoing protester blockade. RCMP noted traffic had not been flowing since around 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

On Thursday, not a wheel in sight was moving at the Sweet Grass Port of Entry along the Montana-Alberta border, and it’s not just truckers that are being affected, as everyone is being halted from getting to and from Canada.

Sweet Grass Port Director Mark Hanson said that there are usually around 500 vehicles daily at the port, and now nobody can get through.

A family trying to get back home from Phoenix, Arizona has nothing else to do but try to make it to another border port before it closes in an effort to get back home.

“We need to get home, that was our quest two days ago when we left Phoenix,” said Todd Lesanko.

He expressed his frustrations about the blockades that are holding up traffic and causing the port to be closed: “It’s just unfortunate they couldn’t do it in more of a fashion where it doesn’t hinder all Canadians and Americans ability to travel across the border,”

CONTINUING COVERAGE

Not everyone is frustrated by the closing, however. Some Montanans support the protests, such as Patrick Kimmet who owns an auto shop in Shelby.

“Hold the line baby, hold the line!” exclaimed Kimmet, who organized his own trucker support rally that is set to go this weekend.

“Right now, we have commitments of anywhere from 25 trucks to 50 trucks, I wouldn’t be surprised if only three showed up. If it’s only me out there, hey I did my job. I supported my brothers and sisters up there.”

At this time it is unclear when the port will allow traffic to resume, or when the protests in Canada will come to an end.


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