The Gordie Howe International Bridge, which spans the Detroit River from Windsor, Ont., to Detroit, Mich., in July, 2024.Dax Melmer/The Globe and Mail
Donald Trump is threatening to block the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, a new border crossing between Canada and the United States, unless Ottawa meets a list of demands and gives Washington half ownership of the structure.
The $6.4-billion bridge between Windsor and Detroit was funded by the Canadian government and was intended by Ottawa to provide another crossing option along the most important trade artery between Canada and the United States.
In a Truth Social post Monday, the U.S. President repeated a long-standing grievance against Canada − that it’s “treated the United States very unfairly for decades” − and expressed anger over the bridge’s ownership structure.
“With all that we have given them, we should own, perhaps, at least one half of this asset,” he said of Canada and the bridge. “The revenues generated because of the U.S. Market will be astronomical.”
Under the 2012 Canada-Michigan Crossing Agreement, the Gordie Howe Bridge is to be publicly owned by the governments of Canada and Michigan. The bridge is operated by the Government of Canada through the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA), a not-for-profit federal Crown corporation. Ottawa will recoup the cost of building the bridge through tolls collected on the Canadian side. The bridge is expected to open this year.
As the State of Michigan announced in a 2012 news release, only Canada would charge tolls on the bridge and the Canadian government would pay all costs of the required land acquisition in Canada and Michigan as well as the cost for an interchange to connect the new bridge to the U.S. I-75 highway.
Mr. Trump on Monday complained that the bridge has “virtually no U.S. content” including steel and noted Canada is waiting for a U.S. permit for the bridge to operate.
“Now, the Canadian Government expects me, as President of the United States, to PERMIT them to just ‘take advantage of America!’ What does the United States of America get – Absolutely NOTHING!”
The 2012 Crossing Agreement allowed for sourcing of both Canadian and U.S. steel.
He repeated a long-standing beef: that protectionist Canadian tariffs which affect how much foreign dairy product can enter the country are hurting U.S. farmers.
“The Tariffs Canada charges us for our Dairy products have, for many years, been unacceptable, putting our Farmers at great financial risk,” Mr. Trump said. “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.”
The Prime Minister’s Office did not comment when asked.
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Mr. Trump also cited Ontario’s decision to direct the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) to remove all U.S. alcoholic products from shelves after Washington imposed tariffs on Canadian goods such as steel, aluminum and autos.
“Ontario won’t even put U.S. spirits, beverages, and other alcoholic products, on their shelves, they are absolutely prohibited from doing so,” the U.S. President said.
The Moroun family which owns the other Windsor-Detroit bridge crossing − the Ambassador Bridge − has long opposed the construction of the Gordie Howe bridge. As the Detroit Free Press wrote in 2018, the Ambassador Bridge owners have told Mr. Trump and others in Washington and Michigan that “a Canadian-built, Canadian-financed rival bridge makes no economic sense, violates the law and will unfairly hurt its business.”
Mr. Trump took time out in the middle of his lengthy Monday post about the bridge to inveigh against Canada’s trade dealings with China and expressed an unconventional opinion that this could somehow affect the future of hockey.
“Prime Minister Carney wants to make a deal with China – which will eat Canada alive. We’ll just get the leftovers! I don’t think so,” Mr. Trump said. “The first thing China will do is terminate ALL Ice Hockey being played in Canada, and permanently eliminate The Stanley Cup.”
Mr. Trump’s prediction about the toll revenue that will be collected by the Gordie Howe bridge operators appears to be optimistic given that cross-border traffic between Canada and the United States has fallen in the past year.
There is bi-national oversight over the bridge. The International Authority – a joint Canada-Michigan body – monitors the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA) for compliance with the 2012 Crossing Agreement, but holds no ownership, veto or operational control.
“Whether this proves real or simply threatened to keep uncertainty high – blocking or barricading bridges is a self-defeating move," Candace Laing, president and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement.
“Through decades of collaboration, Canada and the United States build things together, create jobs together and compete globally together.”