According to Reuters, the United States and Canada have decided to postpone the opening of a new bridge connecting Detroit, USA with Windsor, Ontario, Canada. This bridge, which cost $4.7 billion to build, was originally scheduled to be inaugurated soon. However, earlier this year, U.S. President Donald Trump linked its construction to trade disputes between the US and Canada. He also threatened to block the opening of the bridge on the grounds that Canada is cooperating with China in trade negotiations.
According to an invitation seen by Reuters, the official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Gody Hao International Bridge was originally scheduled for this Friday (the 12th).
Windsor–Detroit Bridge Authority said: “Canada and the United States have agreed to delay the opening of the bridge, and will take the necessary time to resolve all remaining issues.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded by saying that Canada agreed to postpone the opening of the project at the request of the Trump administration.
He stated at an event in Toronto, “We agree to postpone the opening of the subway system, and we will take necessary time to solve lingering issues.” However, he did not specify what these lingering issues were.
Khan added, “This bridge will stand for decades, serving people in Canada, the United States, and other countries. Therefore, it’s worth spending a few more weeks on its construction.”
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said on social media platform X that although officials hope for the bridge to be opened to traffic, “Canada does not need to bow to achieve this.”
U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hookstrat told the Detroit News that he and U.S. Commerce Secretary Lautenik are leading consultations with the Canadian side regarding the opening of the bridge. Lautenik's office has not immediately responded to requests for comment.
The White House has not issued any comments yet.
Gordy How International Bridge pictorial
Gordie Howe Bridge was originally scheduled to be opened at the beginning of this year, but a series of tests and inspections were conducted later. In February of this year, Trump pressured Canada by threatening to ban the opening of the bridge on social media. Trump criticized Canada for refusing to have some American alcoholic beverages on store shelves in his own country, imposing tariffs on dairy products, and even starting trade negotiations with China.
It's worth mentioning that Matthew Moran, the owner of the Anabas Bridge that competes with the Gordy Howe Bridge (also connecting Detroit and Windsor), met with Rutnick in February. In previous weeks, he also donated $1 million to a political action committee that supports Trump. Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives hinted that Moran used his influence to 'harm American business' solely for the purpose of protecting the profits of his own company.
The Detroit International Bridge Company, which operates the Annapolis Bridge, did not respond to the email request for comment.
The Gordie Howe Bridge was constructed in 2018. Due to the refusal of the United States to fund it, the construction was fully funded by Canada. The cost will be recovered through bridge fees over the next 30 years.
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Mark Warne-Mills said during a Senate hearing last week that the department is “ready” to deploy personnel to operate the Gordie Howe Bridge.
The Windsor-Detroit trade corridor is the busiest commercial border passage between Canada and the United States, accounting for more than 25% of all land-based trade between the two countries. Detroit is the largest freight port on the US-Canada border, with commercial truck trade reaching $126 billion in 2023. The opening of the New Bridge will alleviate the traffic pressure on trucks heading towards Detroit via the Ambasde Bridge.
A study by Windsor University shows that the new bridge will reduce transit time by 20 minutes, saving truck drivers $2.3 billion within 30 years.
In fact, there have been continuous disputes regarding the construction of this bridge since its inception. In 2012, the then-governor of Michigan accepted a funding proposal proposed by the Canadian government and bypassed the state legislature to get the project approved, which sparked strong opposition from local operators of existing cross-border bridges.
But by 2017, during Trump’s first term in office, he publicly supported this project, designating the Gordie Howe International Bridge as a “priority project”. He also issued a joint statement with Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau, calling it an “important economic link between the two countries”.
In less than ten years, Trump has faced criticism for projects he previously backed, leading to doubts about his policy shift.
Since Trump's second term, he has continuously increased pressure on Canada, including raising tariffs on Canadian goods and frequently questioning the bilateral trade arrangements. This week, he stated that the USMCA, which will take effect in 2020, may not be continued under the current framework during the upcoming review, and there is no denial of the possibility of renegotiating or even ending the existing arrangements. It is believed that this means that the North American Free Trade Area could once again face uncertainty.
