Ottawa, Canada – Canada and the U.S. state of Michigan have agreed to open the Gordie Howe International Bridge to public traffic on July 27,
following months of controversy and delays stemming from disagreements between the two sides.
This will mark the start of operations for one of the largest land-based projects connecting the two countries.
Agreement on opening date
The Canadian Ministry of Infrastructure announced that the agreement was reached with the support of the US government,
emphasizing that the bridge will represent a vital economic link between Canada and the United States.
It is expected to generate billions of dollars in economic activity over the coming decades.
The bridge connects Detroit, Michigan, with Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
Its construction cost approximately 6.4 billion Canadian dollars, equivalent to 4.5 billion US dollars. Construction began in 2018.
Disagreements delayed the project
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced last month that the bridge’s opening was being postponed indefinitely at the request of the United States due to what he described as technical problems.
US President Donald Trump had previously threatened in February to block the project’s opening,
arguing that the United States had not received fair treatment during the agreement’s implementation.
He also demanded that his country own at least half of the project.
Trump: The new agreement is fairer
Trump later reversed course and endorsed the bridge’s new opening date, asserting that he had secured a “better deal” for the United States.
He described the new agreement as “fantastic and fair” compared to previous arrangements.
According to a memo from the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, Canada fully funded the project.
Ownership of the bridge is shared between the Canadian government and the US state of Michigan.
The bridge is named after the late ice hockey legend Gordie Howe, a nod to the historical ties between Canada and the United States.
It is expected to boost trade and transportation between the two countries.
