Canada-only event held to mark Gordie Howe bridge opening as questions linger on deal

WINDSOR — A Canada-only ceremony took place Friday to mark the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge as the Liberal government faced more questions about a new revenue-sharing deal with the United States.

A joint event with the U.S. to open the bridge connecting Ontario and Michigan was cancelled earlier this week. U.S. President Donald Trump said on social media Friday that Canada “disinvited” the United States of America from the event, which he said is “fine, considering they are paying substantial TARIFFS to the United States.”

” … The original Deal on the Bridge, which was terribly negotiated by a previous Administration, no longer stands,” he posted. “We changed the terms of the Deal so that the United States of America now gets 50% of the Profit.”

The federal government said Tuesday that in light of Trump’s latest tariff threats, Canada would not be celebrating the opening of the bridge in a joint event.

Trump threatened Monday to hit an array of Canadian products with 50 per cent tariffs in 30 days.

American officials said the new levies are a response to provincial bans on U.S. alcohol, Canada’s supply-managed dairy system and quotas on American cars.

Carney said he spoke with Trump on Tuesday morning and they agreed to intensify trade negotiations.

Several officials attended the Canadian ceremony, including Housing Minister Gregor Robertson, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens and Canadian Ambassador to the United States Mark Wiseman.

At a press conference following the ceremony, Robertson said that the 2012 agreement and the new agreement in principle remain unchanged from Canada’s perspective.

“I think there’s been lots of emotion, lots of back and forth in these recent weeks, but these agreements are in place and they are public, available. They set forth the terms and conditions,” Robertson said. “We’re looking forward to getting the bridge open on Monday.”

The 15-year agreement to open the bridge is separate from the deal Ottawa signed, which saw Canada cover the cost of construction.

The Harper government signed that deal in 2012, committing Ottawa to shouldering the full $6.4 billion cost of building the bridge while sharing ownership with Michigan. Under that plan, the two sides would split toll revenues only once Canada’s construction debt, including interest, was paid off.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has come under fire over his statements on the Gordie Howe International Bridge deal.

The proposed agreement in principle to open the bridge says Canada will share half of net toll revenues with the U.S. for the first 15 years. It also says Canada’s payments will be made to a United States-Canada Economic Development Fund controlled by the U.S. government.

Carney said on previous occasions that the tolls would not be split with the United States until after Canada’s debt to build the bridge is paid back.

Speaking to reporters in Charlottetown Thursday, the prime minister said he was referring to the original agreement with Michigan, which he said remains in place and will see tolls split with the state after Canada is paid back about 50 years from now.

Carney acknowledged he was not as clear as he could have been when explaining the nature of the deal in recent weeks.

“Could I have explained it better on a Sunday morning at Stampede? Yeah. With a cowboy hat on? Yes, I could have explained it better,” he said.

Robertson said Friday the agreement in principle states that if there are net revenues in the first 15 years, they are shared. He said they will be invested on the U.S. side in community economic development to help drive traffic and produce toll revenue for the bridge.

“At this point, we don’t anticipate a lot of net revenue in the initial years of this bridge,” he said. “We anticipate being paid back in over 50 years. It’s a long term payback. Canada will be paid back for this bridge, that’s part of the deal.”

Conservatives have accused the prime minister of caving to the United States to get the bridge open and misinforming Canadians about the plan to split tolls.

Conservative MP Shuvaloy Majumdar argued at a news conference in Hamilton, Ont., on Wednesday that the government “lied.”

Conservative MP Kelly McCauley said on social media Thursday that opposition members on the House of Commons government operations committee had told him they’re calling for an urgent investigation into the details of the deal and government statements about it.

He said that, as chair of the committee, he will convene a meeting on July 29 to allow the committee “to get to the bottom of the matter.”

In a letter to McCauley, several MPs on the committee said the contradictions in public statements about the bridge deal “cannot be resolved without Parliament being able to get answers from the government.”

The MPs — three from the Conservatives and one from the Bloc Québécois — said Canadians deserve answers from Robertson, Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne.

NDP MP Heather McPherson said in an email Wednesday that the bridge is critical public infrastructure and Canadians “deserve to know exactly what is happening with it.”

Robertson said Friday’s event was about celebrating new opportunities for workers, businesses and communities on both sides of the border.

“The project has already created approximately 2,500 good paying jobs,” he said. “The economic opportunities it unlocks will attract lots of new investment to both Windsor and Detroit and well beyond. It’s expected to contribute $1.3 billion to Windsor’s economy.”

The new bridge connecting Ontario and Michigan is named after legendary Canadian hockey player Gordie Howe, who led the Detroit Red Wings to four Stanley Cup victories.

Just before the ceremony, dozens of children and guests played road hockey nearby with Robertson.

In his remarks, Robertson said Howe’s legacy was being honoured and he thanked Howe’s family for attending the event.

“Gordie spent his career bringing Canadians and Americans together through sport and his name became synonymous with Detroit, but he remains one of Canada’s most celebrated athletes,” said Robertson.

Gordie Howe’s son Murray Howe spoke alongside about 30 of his family members at the ceremony.

“This bridge will serve as an unmistakable symbol of the priceless bond and true friendship between the people of Canada and the people the United States,” he said.

“As a family, we are so grateful that our father was able to experience such a profound expression of love, reverence and gratitude in the twilight of his life. We are truly humbled by the immensity of this bridge and even more so by the immensity of this honour.”

Businesses in Windsor’s Sandwich Town neighbourhood near the bridge are cautiously optimistic about its opening.

“We’re excited if it actually happens,” said Scott Black, co-owner of the Sandwich Brewing Co. microbrewery in the area.

“(There have been) so many cancellations we’re going to hold our breath until the first car comes over.”

Stephen Hargreaves, the director of the Sandwich Town Business Improvement Association, hopes the spotlight on the Gordie Howe bridge will encourage more visitors to check out the historic neighbourhood.

Established in 1797, the community — literally “sandwiched” between bridges — was once ignored by governments and drew few visitors, Hargreaves said. But it has flourished and avoided the pitfalls of gentrification in recent years, he said.

Despite the cross-border political tensions, Hargreaves hopes that more Americans will come.

“I think when it comes down to it, Canadians and Americans are ready to get along,” he said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 24, 2026.

– By Maan Alhmidi in Windsor, Ont., and Catherine Morrison in Ottawa. With files from Elissa Mendes in Toronto.

The Canadian Press staff