The $4.7 billion Gordie Howe International Bridge—a massive infrastructure project linking Detroit and Windsor, Ontario—was finally ready to open. But then, at the last minute, the U.S. and Canada decided to hit the brakes.
The opening ceremony, originally scheduled for Friday, has been postponed. The Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority announced, "Canada and the United States have agreed to delay the opening of the bridge, taking the necessary time to resolve any outstanding issues."
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed the delay was at the request of the Trump administration. Speaking at an event in Toronto, Carney didn't specify what those "outstanding issues" were, but he stressed the importance of getting things right for a bridge that will serve both countries for decades.
Talks with Canada on opening the bridge are being led by U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. The White House did not immediately respond to MarketDash's request for comments.
Canada-US Talks Face Headwinds
This delay isn't happening in a vacuum. Trade relations between the U.S. and Canada have been rocky. In February, Trump suggested he could block the bridge's opening, citing Canada's refusal to stock certain U.S. alcoholic beverages, tariffs on American dairy products, and its trade negotiations with China.
Earlier this month, in a move that critics saw as a concession in the ongoing trade war, Canada's Liberal government announced a new policy under the Online Streaming Act. The policy could reduce or eliminate contributions that American streaming companies like Netflix Inc. (NFLX), Amazon.com (AMZN)'s Prime, and The Walt Disney Company (DIS)'s Disney+ would have to make to support Canadian TV production and promotion.
Earlier this week, Ontario Premier Doug Ford—a Trump critic—urged the president to "get a deal" with Canada. "I think we just need to hammer out a deal as quickly as we possibly can," Ford told the Financial Times.
But on Wednesday, Trump expressed doubts about renewing the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), citing trade deficits with both countries. In a press briefing, Trump stated, "We don't need anything that Canada has."
Image via Shutterstock
