Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Friday announced the new emergency measures at Queen's Park and declared the state of emergency in an effort to put an end to the "siege" in Ottawa and Windsor as the trucker protests continue to disrupt traffic and prevent the transport of goods across the Canadian border.

Claiming that demonstrations in Ontario are no longer a protest, but rather a "siege", Ford said there will be "severe" consequences for those involved, and the Premier has also urged those halting trucks from crossing the border to "go home."

Making the announcement, the Ontario Premier said fines for non-compliance will be severe with a maximum penalty of $100,000 and up to a year imprisonment.

File image of Ontario Premier Doug Ford by Bruce Reeve on Flickr via Wikimedia Creative Commons

The Premier said legal authorities will be used to urgently enact orders that will protect international border crossings as well as the 400-series highways, airports, bridges, ports, railways and other establishments across Ontario.

"Today, I am using my authority as Premier of Ontario to declare a state of emergency in our province," Doug Ford tweeted.

File image from Wikimedia Creative Commons

The "Freedom Convoy" in Ottawa, which had started two weeks ago as a demonstration against vaccine mandates for truckers, has now expanded to a protest against all pandemic restrictions, with a string of blockades reported in Ontario and Alberta, as well as agitations across Canada.

The protests and blockades sprung up at the Canada-US border have been choking trade and traffic between the two nations for the last two weeks.

Canadian PM Justin Trudeau says 'everything' on the table to end the ongoing trucker protests:

File photo of Justin Trudeau from Wallpaper Cave

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday said "everything" is on the table to bring the ongoing trucker protests and blockades set up across the country to an end, after discussing the issue in a call with the United States President Joe Biden, reports CTV News.

According to the Canadian news channel, Trudeau said that Canada remains “a long way” from the rarely-taken step of calling in the country's Armed Forces, while the federal government has indicated it’s considering a range of next steps.

“This unlawful activity has to end, and it will end. I can’t say too much more now as to exactly when, or how this ends because unfortunately we are concerned about violence. So we’re taking every precaution to keep people safe, but the absolute safest way for this to end is for everyone to return to your communities, now,” Trudeau was quoted as saying by CTV News.

“There are further steps for law enforcement to take as that happens or not. Although of course, we have to be ready for any eventuality, but it is not something we are seriously contemplating at this time,” the Canadian PM added.

CTV News reported that Justin Trudeau had held a series of late-night meetings on Thursday about the situation, including with key cabinet ministers and senior officials, as well as opposition party leaders, to chalk out a plan to end impasse with the anti-mandate and anti-government protesters amid escalating political pressure on the Prime Minister.