The first trucks in a massive national convoy that was organized to protest the federal government's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for cross-border drivers are due to arrive in Ottawa today.

The convoy has been gaining participants and supporters as it rolls across the country from all directions for a weekend rally in the capital.

In Toronto Thursday crowds of people lined part of the route, waving Canadian flags and holding up signs denouncing the vaccine mandate as they cheered the truckers on.

that he would meet with some of the truckers, adding that he and his MP's have long stood against the vaccine mandate they now face. But he also denounced those involved in the convoy who are espousing racist and extremist ideas.

Meanwhile, police in Ottawa stressed they would not tolerate any criminal behaviour as they made plans to deal with as many as 2,000 demonstrators on Saturday.