Gordie Howe bridge to open to cars today after months of cross-border controversy

The Gordie Howe International Bridge is set to open to motorists today after months of controversy over financial aspects of the project.

In a February social media post, U.S. President Donald Trump insisted the United States would have to be compensated before he would allow the bridge to open. 

He falsely claimed the $6.4-billion structure connecting Windsor, Ont., and Detroit was built with virtually no American content.

Canada subsequently agreed to make some adjustments concerning the sharing of revenues.

Canada held a ceremony last week to help mark the opening of the bridge, but a joint celebration with the United States was cancelled over Washington’s recent threat of new tariffs on Canadian goods.

American officials said the new levies are a response to provincial bans on U.S. alcohol, Canada’s supply-managed dairy system and quotas on American cars.

The bridge over the Detroit River, named for the Canadian hockey icon known to some as “Mr. Hockey,” is expected to serve as a critical route for trade, jobs and tourism between Canada and the U.S.

More than 70 per cent of Canada’s exports go to the U.S. For nearly a century, the privately-owned Ambassador Bridge has been the only route for large commercial trucks moving between the U.S. and Canada at Detroit.

Businesses say the new six-lane span will be faster and less expensive.

Construction on the bridge began in 2018 but took years, partly due to a global slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 27, 2026.

— With files from The Associated Press

By The Canadian Press | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.