US, Canada Strike Deal to Open Gordie Howe International Bridge

by EditorK
The bridge will open for public use on July 27 with support from the U.S. government.
US, Canada Strike Deal to Open Gordie Howe International Bridge

The under-construction Gordie Howe International Bridge linking Detroit to Windsor, Ontario, Canada, is viewed along the Detroit River, in Detroit, Mich., on Feb. 10, 2026. Rebecca Cook/Reuters

Canada and the United States agreed on July 10 to open the Gordie Howe International Bridge, which spans the border between Detroit in the U.S. state of Michigan and Windsor in Ontario, Canada.

The bridge will open for public use on July 27 with support from the U.S. government. Canada’s Ministry of Infrastructure said the six-lane crossing will boost North American supply chains, support manufacturing, and improve the movement of essential goods.

The ministry said the two nations reached an agreement that includes “a series of cooperative measures focused on toll governance and transparency, as well as investments in the region, including through the establishment of a 15-year economic development fund tied to a portion of profits from bridge operations.”

The Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, a Canadian federal Crown corporation that owns the Gordie Howe Bridge, will work with the U.S. government on toll-rate adjustments, including some non-market-related toll changes that require concurrence, according to the ministry.

“After years of planning, partnership, and construction, the Gordie Howe International Bridge will soon be opening – providing a new connection for the region, while strengthening one of the world’s most important trade corridors,” Canadian Housing and Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson said in a statement.

“This nation-building project is a testament to what Canada can accomplish when we come together with a shared vision.”

U.S. President Donald Trump thanked the Canadian government in a Truth Social post, saying the initial agreement on the bridge was revised after he deemed it “unacceptable.”

“I was able to cut a MUCH BETTER DEAL for America, and by so doing, will be allowing the new and spectacular Gordie Howe International Bridge, spanning Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, to open on July 27th, as scheduled,” he wrote.

“The original deal made was unacceptable to me. The new deal is great, and fair.”

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a joint statement with Canada that the bridge’s opening is a “great deal” for the state.

“Thousands of Michigan workers built this critical bridge, which will speed up auto production, lower costs, ease traffic, strengthen agriculture, and give people on both sides of the border better-paying jobs and brighter futures,” Whitmer said.

The Gordie Howe International Bridge had been set to open in June. In February, Trump cited financial concerns and threatened to block the bridge named after the legendary Detroit Red Wings hockey player.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters on June 11 that the opening of the bridge was delayed “at the request of the United States.”

“There’s not great drama here. We’re going to work through some issues that have come up,” Carney said at the time.

When asked what those issues were, Carney said they involved a “series of technical aspects.”

According to the Canada-Michigan Crossing Agreement signed in 2012, the bridge is jointly owned by Canada and the state of Michigan. It was fully financed by the Canadian government and in return, Canada will recover its investment by collecting toll revenue before eventually sharing net profits with Michigan.

Olivia Gomm and Reuters contributed to this report.

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