Edmonton braces for another convoy expected to arrive Saturday to support protesters in Ottawa

The city of Edmonton is bracing for another anti-vaccine-mandate convoy expected to arrive at the Alberta Legislature early Saturday afternoon.

Last weekend, a large crowd gathered on and around the Legislature Grounds to show local support for a national convoy that had made it to Ottawa. Participants of what organizers call the Freedom Convoy are still occupying the country's capital.

The convoy on its way to the Alberta Legislature Saturday again aims to show support for the protesters on Parliament Hill. Local demonstrators — some of whom are coming from the blockade in Coutts, Alta. — are expected to arrive around 12:30 p.m. MT.

On Friday, the Edmonton Police Service issued a statement saying it was aware of the planned convoy and, with support from "municipal and provincial partners," the force is allocating "crowd and traffic management resources" to protect public safety, while upholding peoples' right to peaceful demonstration while within city limits.

Mitigation of "disorderly conduct" may include warnings, tickets, arrests and evidence-gathering for ensuing investigations, police said.

Alberta Sheriffs, the agency responsible for safety and security on the Legislature Grounds, are on the grounds at all times and will work with partner agencies to respond accordingly to the protest and calls for service, a spokesperson for Alberta Justice and Solicitor General told CBC News.

Some law enforcement vehicles are already stationed at certain junctions, including near the Legislature.

Edmonton police warn the convoy may result in traffic congestion on Anthony Henday Drive, Yellowhead Trail, Stony Plain Road, Whitemud Drive, Gateway Boulevard, Walterdale Hill, Queen Elizabeth Road and parts of downtown Edmonton from at least 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday.

In anticipation of the convoy, the City of Edmonton said Friday that city hall is closed to the public until further notice.

Canada Unity, an anti-public-health-mandate group, organized the national convoy to protest the vaccine policy for truckers crossing the Canada-U.S. border — a group of travellers previously exempt from pandemic entry requirements — that came into effect last month.

As of Jan. 15, Canadian truck drivers who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 must get a PCR test outside Canada within 72 hours of planned entry; get tested when they arrive; and then self-test on Day 8 of a mandatory 14-day quarantine period.

On Jan. 22, a similar policy took effect in the U.S. that stops all unvaccinated and partially vaccinated non-U.S. travellers, including essential workers such as truckers, from coming into the country.

Combined, the policies stop Canadian truckers who are not fully immunized against COVID-19 from leaving the country for work — though they are free to cross Canada's interprovincial borders.

Last weekends convoy brought a lot of noise and traffic to Edmonton — the latter of which hurt local businesses.