‘We’ve heard it from trucking companies about how much they were saving”: Blue Water Bridge truck traffic growth a concern for Sarnia, Pt. Edward

Sarnia’s Blue Water Bridge is now the busiest commercial traffic crossing for the U.S. and Canada. CTV’s Sean Irvine explains.

Community leaders in Sarnia and Point Edward, Ont., have mixed reactions to news that the Blue Water Bridge is now the busiest border crossing for the nation’s commercial traffic.

It’s the first time the span has surpassed Ambassador Bridge in Windsor.

Figures from the Bridge and Tunnel Association show more than 2.1 million trucks passed over the dual-span bridge in 2025. That compares with over 1.8 million at the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor.

The reason for the switch has little to do with changing patterns. It’s about the money, said Bev Hand, the mayor of Point Edward, Ont., where the Canadian portion of the Blue Water Bridge rests.

Per Axle fees, set between $5 and $7, are up to four times less than those charged in Windsor.

Hand said the cost savings were noted by hauling firms forced to travel the 402 during the 2022 blockades of the Ambassador Bridge.

“We’ve heard it from trucking companies about how much they were saving every week, so they just kept that route going. And that’s kind of how it started to build,” said Hand.

The mayor of nearby Sarnia, Ont., Mike Bradley, agreed during an interview with CTV News London.

“It’s a commercial opportunity. That’s why they’re coming to the Blue Water Bridge in Sarnia/Point Edward.”

Both mayors contend that the buildup of trucks and trailers is good news for the regional and national economies.

On the other hand, the news is less favourable for Sarnia and Point Edward residents.

Frequent long backups of trucks along the 402 and attempts by some drivers to cut through town to avoid them are a traffic and safety concern.

“There’s a lack of respect by some truckers towards the people that live in this community, and the others who are in passenger vehicles trying to get to the U.S, and that’s been an ongoing issue,” said Bradley.

Bradley has long proposed that a staging area for trucks be created outside of Sarnia to ease congestion and improve safety.

In the meantime, Hand said enforcement has helped, “If they’re caught cutting a line or doing something improperly, they get to the booth to turn back to the end of the line and get a ticket. So, they must go all the way back to where that line started. So, it could be a couple of hours that they lose in time.”

Both mayors don’t anticipate truck traffic slowing unless fees in Windsor drop, including any proposed for the new Gordie Howe International Bridge.

“I keep saying I can understand the disparity when it’s impacting them that way,” said Hand.

The current economy will have a say in the matter. Figures show commercial traffic at both bridges fell in February.

Hand believes it’s a direct relation to the impact of tariffs.

Meanwhile, Alexandre Gauthier, a spokesperson for the Federal Bridge Corporation Ltd., confirmed that commercial fees at Blue Water will remain frozen throughout the 2026-2027 fiscal year.