The Ontario government says it has lifted the state of emergency that was declared amid the convoy protests.
The move comes after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he would be revoking use of the Emergencies Act.
“In alignment with the federal government, Ontario will be terminating its declaration of a state of emergency as of 5:00 p.m. today,” a statement from Premier Doug Ford’s office said Wednesday.
“The emergency tools provided to law enforcement will be maintained at this time as police continue to address ongoing activity on the ground.”
A spokesperson for Ford told Global News that meant orders enacted as a result of the state of emergency will remain in place until Saturday, at which point the government will decide whether or not to extend them.
Revoking the state of emergency means the government cannot enact new orders, but the current ones can stay in place, the spokesperson said.
“We remain grateful to all frontline officers and first responders that contributed to peacefully resolving the situation in Ottawa, Windsor and in other parts of the province,” the statement concluded.
On Feb. 11, Ford announced he was declaring a state of emergency in Ontario amid anti-COVID-mandate protest blockades in Ottawa and at the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor.
“I will convene cabinet to use legal authorities to urgently enact orders that will make crystal clear it is illegal and punishable to block and impede the movement of goods, people and services along critical infrastructure,” Ford said at the time, adding that the measures would not impede on an individual’s right to “peacefully protest.”
He pledged to enact orders that would allow people to be fined up to $100,000 and be given one year in jail for blocking critical infrastructure as well as authorize the removal of licences if people didn’t comply.
Ford has said that he intends to make permanent some of the temporary measures he enacted to end the blockades.
The protest blockades in Ottawa and Windsor have since come to an end following police operations, which also led to Trudeau announcing Wednesday that his government would be ending use of the Emergencies Act.
— With files from Gabby Rodrigues and The Canadian Press
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