The Gordie Howe Bridge is shown under construction between Windsor, Ont., and Detroit in May. The crossing is expected to open after the U.S. and Canada reached a deal.Paul Sancya/The Associated Press
The Gordie Howe bridge – another crossing between Windsor and Detroit – is set to open in late July after a deal between Canadian and U.S. officials was reached, a source with knowledge of the negotiations said.
The Globe and Mail is not identifying the source because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
It was originally supposed to open in early June, but was postponed indefinitely at the behest of the Trump administration, as The Globe reported last month.
Michigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers posted on social media Friday that he spoke with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and the bridge will open soon.
“A new deal is coming in the next few days,” Rogers said. “The Secretary assures me that America will get a better financial deal and that there will be no Chinese cars pouring over that bridge.”
In a radio interview included with his social media post, Rogers said there is a “financial deal” where the U.S. will see “up to half the revenue.” He also said there would be joint determination of what the tolls would be.
Prime Minister Mark Carney, when asked if he’d be open to renegotiate the terms to open the bridge, said Thursday that “I think we’re willing to clarify aspects of the current arrangements.”
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The timing of the Gordie Howe bridge’s debut was thrown into doubt in February, when Mr. Trump threatened in a social-media post to prevent it from opening. He made a series of demands, including that Ottawa grant Washington half ownership of the structure, which was paid for by Canada and is jointly owned with the state of Michigan. Ottawa has not agreed to his requests.
Under the 2012 Canada-Michigan Crossing Agreement, the Gordie Howe bridge is to be publicly owned by the governments of Canada and Michigan. It is operated by the Government of Canada through the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, a not-for-profit federal Crown corporation. Ottawa plans to recoup the cost of building the bridge through tolls collected on the Canadian side.
The bridge is named after Canadian hockey legend Gordie Howe, who played for the Detroit Red Wings for 25 seasons.
With reports from The Canadian Press