Canada cancels joint bridge-opening celebration with US amid trade tensions

Trump’s 50% tariff threat means there will be no ribbon-cutting celebration of Gordie Howe International Bridge

A planned joint US-Canada ceremony on Friday celebrating the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge connecting Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, is no longer expected to take place after Donald Trump announced a 50% tariff on most Canadian goods.

In announcing the tariffs, the president accused Canada of unfairly discriminating against US automobiles, alcohol and dairy products, escalating tensions with one of the United States’ closest allies.

“In light of trade action threatened by the United States earlier this week, it would be inappropriate to proceed with a celebratory event between the two countries,” said Jenna Ghassabeh, a spokesperson for Canada’s infrastructure minister, Gregor Robertson, in an emailed statement.

The move came after US and Canadian officials reached an agreement earlier this month to open the Gordie Howe International Bridge after delays tied to disagreements between the two countries.

Canada now plans to hold its own ceremony on Friday. It is now unclear whether the United States will hold a separate ceremony.

Two US officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations said they still expected the bridge to open to traffic on 27 July but were less certain than they were before.

“We remain committed to opening the bridge on July 27th, and to celebrating this milestone among Canadians on July 24th,” said Ghassabeh.

The 1.5-mile-long (2.4km-long) bridge spans the Detroit River and connects Detroit with Windsor. A ribbon-cutting ceremony had initially been scheduled for 12 June but was abruptly postponed after officials said the United States and Canada were still working to resolve “outstanding issues”.

Canada financed construction of the bridge under an agreement allowing it to recover the cost through toll revenue. The Trump administration had sought changes to that arrangement.

The Mark Carney government had been tight-lipped on the details of the agreement. But late on Tuesday, it shared the terms of the deal after criticism was levelled by members of parliament from opposition parties, who accused the government of being obfuscatory.

The agreement states that Canada will share 50% of net bridge and crossing-related revenues with an economic development fund that is controlled by the US government.

Those terms seem to contradict statements the prime minister had previously made about the deal. On 16 July, the prime minister said at an unrelated press conference that toll revenues would not be split until Canada was repaid.

The project, negotiated under former Michigan governor Rick Snyder, has been under construction since 2018 and cost nearly $4.4bn.

The bridge is named after the Canadian hockey great Gordie Howe, who spent 25 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings. It is expected to become another major economic artery between Canada and the United States.

In February, Trump demanded in a social media post that Canada give the US government at least half ownership of the bridge and agree to other unspecified demands, part of his broader clashes with Canada over trade.

Those tensions resurfaced this week. The White House said the tariffs would take effect in 30 days, leaving time for negotiations. Trump has previously delayed or backed away from some threatened import taxes.

Carney said in a statement about the tariffs that his government believes in the “benefits of free and fair trade” and remains prepared to negotiate with the Trump administration.

The tariffs could escalate into a broader trade war as Canada weighs how to respond.

“If these tariffs proceed, Canada should respond tariff for tariff, dollar for dollar,” Ontario’s premier, Doug Ford, posted on social media.