Why Canada and the U.S. can’t agree on opening the Gordie Howe Bridge

The Gordie Howe International Bridge is shown from Windsor on Thursday, June 4, 2026. Photo by Dan Janisse

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Speculation continues to surround the publicly owned alternative to the Ambassador Bridge between Detroit, Mich., and Windsor, Ont., which remains closed long after it was supposed to open. Watch the Spelled Out video or read the transcript to find out why the ribbon-cutting for the Geordie Howe Bridge continues to elude us.

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It’s the cross-border bridge creating even more of a divide between the U.S. and Canada.

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The Gordie Howe Bridge was meant to open on June 15 — connecting Windsor, Ont., to Detroit, Mich.

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That is until it became the target of U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this year.

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Now, the U.S. is claiming Canada paying for the multi-billion-dollar project — is a “big myth.”

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So, why isn’t the finished bridge open?

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And why are some calling the U.S. gaslighters, and this, a punch in the face?

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Let’s spell it out.

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Construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge broke ground in 2018 — and finished this April.

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But, despite the bridge’s grand opening scheduled for June, one big thing is blocking it — Trump.

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The U.S. president suggested his country should own half the project — and pledged to block its opening until “the United States is fully compensated for everything we have given.”

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Canada footed the more than $6 billion bill to build the bridge.

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But the U.S. ambassador to Canada claims that’s a big myth.

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In a recent interview with a Canadian food podcast — Pete Hoekstra argues Canada loaned the bridge authority $7 billion — but will get that money back — in time.

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“Canada is serving as the bank for the bridge. The expectation is that over the years, as the bridge generates revenues and those kinds of things, the bridge will be paid back, so the bridge will actually be paid for by the folks who are using the bridge. It will not be paid for by the Canadian government. So, no, Canada put the money up front, but at the end of the day, the expectation is that there will be a use tax that will pay for the bridge.”

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While it’s true Canada will recoup its investment through tolls over several decades, the U.S. will also profit from the bridge.

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Once Canada has been paid back, revenue will be split with the state of Michigan.

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Hoekstra’s comments garnered criticism online — including from former prime minister Stephen Harper’s director of communications — calling the U.S. diplomat “the ambassador of gaslight for Canada.”

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Andrew MacDougall worked under Harper back in 2012 — when the Canada-Michigan crossing agreement was signed.

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He spoke with the National Post’s Ellie Hutchings.

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“This administration has shown time and time again that it will suck up to its enemies and punch its friends in the face”

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I certainly remember what was agreed to, and it was that basically we would fund the bridge construction, buy the land in Michigan needed, build the interstate on ramps, and that we would make the money back by tolls that were collected on the bridge, but only from the Canadian side, not the American side.”

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MacDougall told the National Post he’s not surprised by the Trump administration’s actions — partially because of the family that owns the existing Ambassador Bridge.