Gordie Howe bridge opens to traffic after months of delays

The opening of the bridge comes as the Canada-U.S. trade war intensified with U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat of fresh 50 per cent tariffs on Canada.

After months of delay, the Gordie Howe International Bridge is open to traffic on Monday even as the U.S. trade war on Canada continues.

While Canadian officials marked the opening ceremony for the bridge on Friday, the public was able to drive on the newly constructed bridge starting at noon eastern on Monday.

Prime Minister Mark Carney hailed the opening of the bridge.

“Spanning the river between Windsor and Detroit, this project strengthens one of our busiest trade corridors and supports economic growth on both sides of the border for generations to come,” Carney’s office said in a statement.

The Gordie Howe International Bridge is now open.

Spanning the river between Windsor and Detroit, this project strengthens one of our busiest trade corridors and supports economic growth on both sides of the border for generations to come. pic.twitter.com/9tCdjXGGLD

The Canada Border Services Agency said it began operations at the Gordie Howe bridge crossing.

The bridge is named after Canadian hockey icon Gordie Howe, who played much of his professional career with the Detroit Red Wings. Howe’s family undertook the first crossing over the bridge in their private vehicle.

The #CBSA is proud to begin operations at the #GordieHoweBridge and we stand ready to protect Canada’s border. pic.twitter.com/S3zchrNr99

A truck belonging to Onfreight Logistics, a trucking company based in Tecumseh, Ont., became the first commercial vehicle to cross the Gordie Howe Bridge on Monday. The truck was carrying auto parts bound for Michigan’s auto-manufacturing industry.

The Howe family completed this inaugural journey in honour of Gordie Howe, the bridge’s namesake. #GoHowe 🇨🇦 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/7SPYoFn1nu

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer also crossed the bridge on Monday, in a black convertible.

“This morning, I got behind the wheel of a Michigan-built Ford Mustang to mark the official opening,” Whitmer posted on social media Monday.

“I fought to open this bridge to build the economy and connect Michiganders to opportunities on both sides of the Detroit River,” she added.

Onfreight Logistics is a Canadian logistics and trucking company located in Tecumseh, Ontario. They completed this trip carrying auto parts heading to Michigan. #GoHowe 🇨🇦 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/mTAKuhQGEM

The opening of the bridge is “exciting and historic,” Chuck Andary, interim CEO of the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority said in a statement Monday.

“We are preparing to welcome travellers across the Gordie Howe International Bridge,” a message on the Gordie Howe International Bridge Authority website read on Monday morning.

Gary Peters, a Michigan senator, rode the first motorcycle across the bridge.

“This bridge is a huge win for Michigan residents, workers, and businesses, and a boon for our state’s economy,” Peters said.

Representative Debbie Dingle said Canada and the U.S. are “stronger when we work together, not when we create unnecessary barriers between allies.”

The opening of the bridge, which provides a second road link connecting Michigan and Ontario, comes as the Canada-U.S. trade war has been intensifying with U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat of fresh 50 per cent tariffs on Canada next month.

The Gordie Howe International Bridge opens today! This morning, I got behind the wheel of a Michigan-built Ford Mustang to mark the official opening. 
 
I fought to open this bridge to build the economy and connect Michiganders to opportunities on both sides of the Detroit River. pic.twitter.com/AqWt5k9jqc

Travellers have to pay a toll of $8 per personal vehicle, in addition to $8 per trailer if they are driving a personal vehicle with a trailer.

Anyone taking a large commercial or passenger vehicle or a hazardous or oversized vehicle will have to pay $12 per axle.

The bridge is named after Canadian hockey icon Gordie Howe, who played much of his professional career with the Detroit Red Wings. Howe’s family was also in attendance at the opening ceremony.

The massive infrastructure project is “more than just a bridge,” Housing and Infrastructure Minister Greg Robertson said on Friday.

“This bridge is a testament of what we can build when we work together,” he said.

In February, Trump threatened to block the opening of the bridge.

“I will not allow this bridge to open until the United States is fully compensated for everything we have given them, and also, importantly, Canada treats the United States with the Fairness and Respect that we deserve. We will start negotiations, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump wrote on social media.

As someone who has long fought to see the Gordie Howe Bridge completed, I was very proud to ride the first motorcycle across for the grand opening today. This bridge is a huge win for Michigan residents, workers, and businesses, and a boon for our state’s economy. pic.twitter.com/M4NaK5rzVe

Canada paid entirely for the construction of the bridge, but it is jointly owned by Canada and Michigan.

On July 10, after months of negotiations, Robertson and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced that the bridge would be opening on July 27, following a new revenue-sharing agreement.

The federal government on Tuesday released the text of what it called an agreement in principle with the United States for the Gordie Howe International Bridge, which outlines how revenues could be collected — and shared — for a project entirely financed by Canadian taxpayers.

Portions of it appear to contradict what Prime Minister Mark Carney has said about how money will be split and how much the U.S. will get before Canadians are repaid for the debt of the bridge.

Carney said last week that Canada will not share any tolls collected from the bridge until Canada’s $6.4-billion debt from building it is repaid, but he also said that “net revenues” will be split over 15 years.

“Splitting of tolls, any sharing of the toll, won’t happen until all of the debt is repaid,” Carney told reporters on July 16.

However, the text of the agreement in principle states that Canada will make payments to the U.S. totalling 50 per cent of “net bridge and crossing related revenues” for 15 years and doesn’t clearly define what counts as operating costs or make mention of Canada’s debt.

But Canada sharing any portion of the bridge’s revenues, including from tolls, means it may take longer for Canada to make back the money paid to build the bridge in the first place.

The House of Commons government operations committee is expected to meet on Wednesday to discuss a call from opposition members to investigate Carney’s handling of the bridge deal.