Gordie Howe Bridge Opens Without U.S. Officials Amid Toll Dispute
The Canada-financed Gordie Howe International Bridge opened to traffic on Monday, but U.S. officials were absent as negotiations over future toll revenue continue.
The $4.7 billion Gordie Howe International Bridge linking Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit, Michigan, opened to traffic on Monday, though no American officials attended the ceremony. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the structure demonstrates what the two nations can achieve together and pledged to stand firm in trade disputes.
The bridge, funded by Canada to relieve congestion on the older Ambassador Bridge, now faces a dispute over how toll revenues will be divided. President Donald Trump has asserted that his administration secured a 50 % share of profits for the United States and warned of 50 % tariffs on Canadian goods. Justin Trudeau, referencing an existing agreement with Michigan, said Canada would be repaid first.
A newly proposed revenue-sharing arrangement, described by a trade-law expert as vague, leaves both sides able to claim a win. A U.S. government spokeswoman told the Washington Post that a joint celebratory event would be “inappropriate at the moment.”
During the opening, Trump posted on social media that Canada had “disinvited the United States of America” and noted the tariffs being paid to the United States.