Story perspectives

Trump Delays Howe Bridge Opening Over Compensation, Savings Highlighted

6/6/2026

Summary

Story summary

U.S. President Donald Trump says the Gordie Howe International Bridge will not open until the U.S. receives compensation.
The bridge linking Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan is complete, yet the contractor has not signed off, so Customs and Border Protection staff stand ready to process traffic.
The Ontario Trucking Association says fleets could save $20,000-$100,000 per month because bridge toll is $8.75 per axle versus $20 at the Ambassador Bridge.

History

Historical Context

The privately built Ambassador Bridge opened in November 1929, earning about $2.5 million a year from a five-cent vehicle toll and handling roughly a quarter of U.S.–Canada truck traffic. Decades later, Canada-funded the publicly owned Gordie Howe International Bridge—begun in 2018 with a CA$3.8 billion price tag—to relieve that monopoly. Donald Trump’s demand for compensation now threatens the new crossing’s freight flow.

1 of 2

Story summary

U.S. President Donald Trump says the Gordie Howe International Bridge will not open until the U.S. receives compensation.
The bridge linking Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan is complete, yet the contractor has not signed off, so Customs and Border Protection staff stand ready to process traffic.
The Ontario Trucking Association says fleets could save $20,000-$100,000 per month because bridge toll is $8.75 per axle versus $20 at the Ambassador Bridge.

1 / 2