Canada marks Gordie Howe bridge opening without US after trade war deepens

What the report says

Al Jazeera, citing Reuters, reports that Canada marked the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge between Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit, Michigan, without United States officials after cancelling a planned cross-border ribbon-cutting. The Canadian-only event took place on Friday, July 24, ahead of the bridge’s planned opening to traffic on Monday, and came amid worsening Canada-US trade tensions and a dispute over how toll revenue should be shared.

The ceremony included Ontario Premier Doug Ford, invited guests and relatives of Gordie Howe, the Canadian hockey legend for whom the bridge is named. Attendees were encouraged to wear red and white, and were not allowed to cross to the US side. Ford said tariffs from US President Donald Trump had made the bilateral relationship harder, while also describing the bridge as proof of what the two countries can build together.

The $4.7bn project, financed by Canada, began construction in 2018 and is intended to provide a faster alternative to the privately operated Ambassador Bridge over the Detroit River. Al Jazeera reported that Trump had previously threatened to block the project and, this week, threatened further 50 percent tariffs on Canada. The article also notes that about 274 million Canadian dollars ($194m) in daily trade moves through the Windsor-Detroit corridor, according to Canada’s government.

A key unresolved issue is whether and when the US will receive a share of bridge revenues. Trump said the US would get half of the profit, while Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said tolls would not be split until Canada had been repaid under an earlier agreement. Experts quoted in the report said the newer draft language leaves room for both governments to claim their position was preserved.