The Gordie Howe International Bridge, connecting Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, faced a decade of complex political and financial disputes leading up to its delayed opening. Canada fully financed the $6.4 billion construction cost. An initial agreement in 2012 between Canada and Michigan stipulated that Canada would recoup all its costs, including interest, before sharing revenue with Michigan. This repayment was expected to take decades, possibly 50 years.
However, in July 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump, unsatisfied with the original terms, intervened, blocking a planned opening ceremony and demanding a new deal. This intervention led to a side agreement announced in mid-July. Under this new deal, Canada agreed to give the U.S. 50% of the net revenues for 15 years, with the U.S. share directed to an economic development fund controlled by the U.S. government. A major point of contention arose regarding whether debt-servicing costs (interest on Canada's $6.4 billion investment) would be deducted before calculating net profits. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney initially stated that debt costs would be factored in, but a U.S. official and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick contradicted this, claiming the U.S. share would be taken "before interest and principal."
The discrepancy has significant financial implications. Annual interest on Canada's investment would be hundreds of millions of Canadian dollars; deducting this would substantially reduce the "net profit" to be split, thus diminishing the U.S. share. Carney later suggested that net revenues in the initial years would be "modest" or even "negative," implying little to no profit for the U.S. to share. The agreement also granted the U.S. a say in setting tolls, requiring Canada to obtain U.S. consent for toll increases exceeding 10% or decreases below the average of comparable regional crossings.
The bridge, which began construction in 2018, aims to alleviate congestion on the privately owned Ambassador Bridge, a key trade route handling over 25% of Canada-U.S. trade. Despite the lingering financial disagreements, the bridge was scheduled to open on July 27, 2026. Canadian officials maintained that the original Canada-Michigan Crossing Agreement remained unchanged, suggesting that Canada would still eventually recover its full investment, including interest, over the long term, even with the new short-term revenue-sharing agreement with the U.S. government. Commercial traffic estimates for the bridge include 400 commercial vehicles per hour, with a four-axle truck paying a minimum of $27.60 USD.
