Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has confirmed that the Gordie Howe International Bridge, a new six-lane thoroughfare connecting Detroit, Michigan, with Windsor, Ontario, will open by the end of the week. The announcement comes despite threats from U.S. President Donald Trump, who earlier this year vowed the bridge would not open without Canadian concessions.

Speaking briefly to reporters on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Carney dodged questions about any behind-the-scenes negotiations with Trump. Instead, he praised the bridge as a “symbol but also a fact of cooperation between” the U.S. and Canada, calling it “great for Canadians, Americans, and for commerce.”

In February, Trump posted on social media falsely depicting the project as a Canadian-only enterprise, claiming Canada was “taking advantage of America.” He threatened to block the bridge’s completion and demanded the U.S. receive “at least one half of this asset.” The bridge’s fate had been further complicated by lawsuits from the Moroun family, owners of the nearby privately held Ambassador Bridge.

The Gordie Howe Bridge, co-owned by Canada and Michigan, was agreed upon in 2012 and construction began in 2018. Costing approximately $6.4 billion, it took seven years to build. Named after a celebrated Canadian hockey player, the bridge is designed to ease supply chains, reduce traffic, and boost trade between the two nations.

U.S.-Canada relations have frayed since Trump’s second term, with Trump repeatedly berating Canada for alleged unfair trade practices and calling for it to become the “51st state.” In 2024, bilateral trade exceeded $909.1 billion. Trump’s tariff policies have sparked a trade war, with Canada retaliating. Carney has responded by calling for a coalition of “middle powers” to stand up to “great powers.”

Source: www.aljazeera.com