The organizer of a GoFundMe campaign for the truck convoy has withdrawn an initial $ 1 million from the funds, the company confirmed on Thursday.
This comes after GoFundMe held the funds until a clear plan was submitted on how it would be spent.
The convoy movement, known as the “Red Canada” movement or the “freedom convoy”, began last Sunday in British Columbia, when hundreds of truck drivers took to the road to protest a mandate requiring all essential cross-border workers, including truck drivers , must show evidence of COVID-19 vaccination at access points.
In an update, the company said the organizer has provided a plan for funds used to cover the fuel costs of participants protesting peacefully.
They will work with the organizer to release the remaining funds after participants are repaid, GoFundMe confirmed.
The fund, started by Tamara Lich in Medicine Hat, Alta., raised nearly $ 6.5 million.
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Truck convoy leaves NS and NB to Ottawa to protest against COVID-19 vaccine mandate
GoFundMe said the organizer, presumably Lich, will share more information over the coming weeks about which charities will be selected to receive the remaining funds.
People can still donate to the cause in the meantime.
“Our goal is to protect the generosity of donors and ensure that all donations go to those intended,” the company said.
“As part of our verification process, we require full transparency from the organizer on the flow of funds to ensure there is a clear plan and donors are informed on how the funds will be spent.”
The federal government ended the truck drivers’ release of the vaccine mandate on January 15th. This means Canadian truck drivers must be fully vaccinated if they want to avoid a two-week quarantine and occurrence molecular test for COVID-19 before entering Canada.
About a hundred “Save Canada” supporters gathered early Thursday in Enfield, NS, to send truck drivers en route to Ottawa.
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