Gregor Robertson, minister of housing and infrastructure, speaks during a Canadian celebration for the Gordie Howe International bridge connecting Detroit and Windsor, Ont., July 24, 2026, in Windsor. AP Photo/Paul Sancya
Canada has officially marked the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge linking Ontario and Michigan, with no U.S. officials attending the ceremony as trade tensions between the two countries persist.
The $6.4 billion bridge will open to vehicle traffic on July 27, with access for cyclists and pedestrians beginning Aug. 5. The bridge will serve the Detroit–Windsor corridor, one of the busiest border crossings between the two countries, handling about 25 percent of Canada-U.S. cross-border truck trade and roughly $1 billion in daily commerce.
While a joint ceremony between Canada and the United States to open the bridge had been planned, Ottawa announced on July 21 that it would be “inappropriate to proceed with a celebratory event between the two countries” in the face of U.S. tariffs.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on July 20 that his country will be imposing 50 percent tariffs on a range of Canadian products, including alcoholic drinks, dairy products, and a variety of other goods. The White House said the measures are in response to Canada’s dairy policies, provincial alcohol restrictions, and automotive trade rules.
During the ceremony, Housing Minister Gregor Robertson said the new bridge includes 24 inspection lanes on the Canadian side and 36 on the U.S. side, and will save carriers a combined 850,000 hours a year.
“That’s an achievement that we look forward to, and that adds up to billions of dollars of economic savings and thousands of jobs that are secured on both sides of the border with that efficiency,” he said.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the opening of the bridge is an “incredible symbol of the potential and opportunities that await workers and families on both sides of the Detroit River.” Ford added that the bond between Americans and Canadians will “last for another 200 years.”
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens also attended the event, describing his city as the automotive capital of Canada and the “tool, die, and mould capital of North America.” He said he would like to see further integration and trade opportunities with the United States.
“The Gordie Howe International Bridge positions Windsor-Detroit as the premier international gateway in North America for the next century,” he said.
Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who announced the original agreement for the bridge back in 2012, also commented on the bridge’s
. He said despite the “challenges and delays,” he was proud to see the bridge officially open, and hoped it would continue on Gordie Howe’s legacy of “connecting our two great countries.”
The opening of the bridge was delayed by the United States in June, and the two countries came to an updated agreement on how the bridge would operate. Canada will receive 50 percent of the bridge’s net revenue over the first 15 years, with the other 50 percent going toward an economic development fund for the region that is controlled by the United States.
The original 2012 agreement had said 100 percent of the tolls collected from the bridge’s operations would go to the Canadian government, given that Ottawa agreed to front the full cost of construction, and that half of the toll revenue would go to the state of Michigan after Canada had fully recouped the costs.
U.S. President Trump said on
July 24 that it was “fine” that Ottawa “disinvited the United States of America to the opening of the Gordie Howe Bridge,” given that Canada is paying tariffs to the United States.
“The original deal on the bridge, which was terribly negotiated by a previous administration, no longer stands. We changed the terms of the deal so that the United States of America now gets 50 percent of the profit,” he added.
