US, Canada delay opening of new bridge after Trump raised objections

WASHINGTON — The United States and Canada have agreed to delay the opening of the $4.7 billion Gordie Howe International Bridge, a major new crossing between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, after the project was expected to open in the coming days.

A formal ribbon-cutting had been scheduled for Friday, according to invitations seen by Reuters. However, officials said both sides agreed to postpone the launch to allow more time to address outstanding issues.

“Canada and the United States have agreed to delay the opening of the bridge, taking the necessary time to resolve any outstanding issues,” said the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed that the delay was made at the request of the Trump administration. Speaking at an event in Toronto, he said both countries agreed the additional time would be beneficial, though he did not specify what issues remained unresolved.

“For a bridge that is going to be in place and serve Canadians, Americans, others for decades, the question of a few weeks is time well spent,” Carney said.

Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said on social media platform X that while officials remain eager to open the crossing, “Canada need not fall on bent knee to make it happen.”

U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra said he and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick are leading discussions with Canadian counterparts on the bridge’s opening. The Commerce Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and the White House also declined to comment.

President Donald Trump has previously raised objections tied to broader trade disputes, including Canada’s tariffs on dairy products, its trade relations with China, and restrictions on certain U.S. alcoholic beverages.

The bridge project, construction of which began in 2018, was financed by Canada after the United States declined to contribute upfront costs. The investment will be recovered through tolls over a 30-year period.

The new crossing, part of the Gordie Howe International Bridge project, is expected to ease congestion at the nearby Ambassador Bridge, the busiest commercial crossing on the U.S.-Canada border. It handles tens of billions of dollars in freight trade annually.

Once operational, the bridge is projected to reduce crossing times by around 20 minutes and generate significant savings for commercial transport over the coming decades, according to studies cited by Canadian officials.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told a Senate hearing last week that the department was prepared to staff the new crossing.

The project comes amid heightened trade tensions between Washington and Ottawa, with Trump also signaling potential changes to existing trade agreements with Canada and Mexico.

-Reporting by David Shepardson; Additional reporting by Ryan Patrick Jones; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Mark Porter / Reuters