Canada holds Gordie Howe Bridge ceremony without US after Trump tariffs

Canada held its own inauguration ceremony Friday for the Gordie Howe Bridge after cancelling a joint event with the United States following the announcement of new US tariffs on Canadian products.

The 2.5-kilometre bridge between Windsor, Canada, and Detroit, United States, is due to open to traffic on Monday.

Canadian Housing and Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson spoke at the ceremony on the Canadian side of the bridge. He said the project demonstrated what the two countries could build when they worked together.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said relations between the United States and Canada had been challenged in recent years but called for the two countries to continue working together.

US President Donald Trump marked the opening in a social media post with a combative message. He said Canada had disinvited the United States from the ceremony and linked the decision to tariffs paid to the United States.

Trump also said the terms of the bridge agreement had been changed so that the United States would receive 50 percent of the profit.

Trump on Monday ordered a 50-percent duty on many Canadian goods to take effect after 30 days.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was considering all options in response. He said he and Trump had agreed to intensify discussions in the coming weeks.

Carney also faced criticism after the release Tuesday of a proposed agreement governing the bridge’s finances. Critics viewed the arrangement as highly favourable to the United States.

The proposed terms said Canada would contribute to a US economic development fund an amount equal to 50 percent of the bridge’s net revenue for 15 years.

On Thursday, Carney said the revenue-sharing arrangement would apply only to money remaining after Canada had met its regular debt-service obligations from the bridge’s construction.

He said a 2012 agreement remained in place and described the arrangement as a good deal, while acknowledging that he should have explained it more clearly.

Canada fully financed the bridge’s CAN$6.4 billion, or $4.5 billion, construction cost. Work began in 2018.

The bridge is named after Canadian-born ice hockey player Gordie Howe, who played for US teams.

In February, Trump threatened to block the bridge completely. He said the United States had been treated unfairly during its construction and argued that it should be at least half US-owned.