Why Canada and the U.S. can't agree on opening the Gordie Howe Bridge

Speculation continues to surround the publicly owned alternative to the Ambassador Bridge between Detroit, Mich., and Windsor, Ont., which remains closed long after it was supposed to open. Watch the Spelled Out video or read the transcript to find out why the ribbon-cutting for the Geordie Howe Bridge continues to elude us.

It’s the cross-border bridge creating even more of a divide between the U.S. and Canada.

The Gordie Howe Bridge was meant to open on June 15 — connecting Windsor, Ont., to Detroit, Mich.

That is until it became the target of U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this year.

Now, the U.S. is claiming Canada paying for the multi-billion-dollar project — is a “big myth.”

So, why isn’t the finished bridge open?

And why are some calling the U.S. gaslighters, and this, a punch in the face?

Let’s spell it out.

Construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge broke ground in 2018 — and finished this April.

But, despite the bridge’s grand opening scheduled for June, one big thing is blocking it — Trump.

The U.S. president suggested his country should own half the project — and pledged to block its opening until “the United States is fully compensated for everything we have given.”

Canada footed the more than $6 billion bill to build the bridge.

But the U.S. ambassador to Canada claims that’s a big myth.

In a recent interview with a Canadian food podcast — Pete Hoekstra argues Canada loaned the bridge authority $7 billion — but will get that money back — in time.

“Canada is serving as the bank for the bridge. The expectation is that over the years, as the bridge generates revenues and those kinds of things, the bridge will be paid back, so the bridge will actually be paid for by the folks who are using the bridge. It will not be paid for by the Canadian government. So, no, Canada put the money up front, but at the end of the day, the expectation is that there will be a use tax that will pay for the bridge.”

While it’s true Canada will recoup its investment through tolls over several decades, the U.S. will also profit from the bridge.

Once Canada has been paid back, revenue will be split with the state of Michigan.

Hoekstra’s comments garnered criticism online — including from former prime minister Stephen Harper’s director of communications — calling the U.S. diplomat “the ambassador of gaslight for Canada.”

Andrew MacDougall worked under Harper back in 2012 — when the Canada-Michigan crossing agreement was signed.

He spoke with the National Post’s Ellie Hutchings.

“This administration has shown time and time again that it will suck up to its enemies and punch its friends in the face”

I certainly remember what was agreed to, and it was that basically we would fund the bridge construction, buy the land in Michigan needed, build the interstate on ramps, and that we would make the money back by tolls that were collected on the bridge, but only from the Canadian side, not the American side.”

MacDougall told the National Post he’s not surprised by the Trump administration’s actions — partially because of the family that owns the existing Ambassador Bridge.

It’s connected Detroit and Windsor since the 70s.

According to campaign finance reports — in January — the billionaire head of the family, Matthew Moroun — made a million-dollar campaign donation to MAGA Inc. — a Trump-aligned political action committee.

The following month, Trump threatened to block the opening of the bridge until “the United States is fully compensated.”

According to MacDougall — the Moroun family has opposed the Gordie Howe bridge for years — which could threaten the family’s monopoly on the busy trade corridor.

“The whole reason this is being done, the whole reason it was so hard to do, was because Matty Moroun and his family have a monopoly on the busiest border crossing in the world, which is obviously a bottleneck for many people, and if you’re looking at post-financial crisis, you have to remember this is post 2008/2009, we’ve just seen the auto industry teeter, almost crater, and the whole thing that we were trying to do was facilitate trade across the border, and the single biggest ask of any exporter anywhere in Southern Ontario was more capacity to go across the bridge and to not have to deal with Matty Moroun, if possible.”

Windsor’s mayor has echoed similar sentiments speaking to the National Post, saying “there is absolutely no doubt that the interests of the private operator of the Ambassador Bridge are completely in play with respect to the opening of the Gordie Howe Bridge.”

Bloomberg News has reported the opening ceremony for the bridge was cancelled after U.S. commerce secretary Howard Lutnick intervened.

An unidentified U.S. official told the outlet Lutnick is seeking to renegotiate the deal — with the White House’s blessing.

The U.S. reportedly wants a larger share of the toll revenue.

“We all got to use our voices and come together and say an agreement was made and it’s time to open the bridge.”

Meanwhile, opening the bridge has become a flashpoint in U.S. elections.

A Michigan democrat who recently dropped out of the race for U.S. Senate, shared this video earlier online — calling this situation “no bigger example of corruption.”

The Republican candidate who is still running for U.S. Senate in Michigan is also pushing to get the bridge open.

Though Mike Rogers did tell the Detroit News, “we’ll never see any revenue from that thing.”

But in Canada — Windsor’s mayor is urging the prime minister to not rush a bad deal — and to “play the long game on this.”

For now — we’re waiting to see when Canada and the U.S. will bridge this gap.

I’m Gabriela Panza-Beltrandi, and this is Spelled Out.

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