Canada to Skip Gordie Howe Bridge Opening Celebrations Over Latest US Tariffs

The Gordie Howe International Bridge linking Detroit to Windsor, Ont., is viewed along the Detroit River, in Detroit, Mich., on Feb. 10, 2026. Rebecca Cook/Reuters

Canada has pulled out of a joint celebration with the United States marking the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, which links Windsor, Ont., and Detroit, Michigan, due to the latest 50 percent U.S. tariffs on Canadian products.

“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,” Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson said in a statement on July 21.

The bridge is set to open on July 27. Robertson said Canadian officials will instead celebrate the milestone on July 24 “among Canadians.”

“The Gordie Howe International Bridge remains a vital infrastructure project that reflects years of hard work and will be a major economic driver in the region, expanding options for commuters, tourists, businesses, and families,” Robertson said.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on July 20 that his country will be imposing 50 percent tariffs on a range of Canadian products including alcoholic drinks, dairy products, and a number of other items including hockey sticks and cement.

The White House said the measures are in response to Canada’s dairy supply management system, provincial bans on U.S. alcohol, and tariffs on auto parts.

Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada’s remaining protective trade measures are in response to the United States violating the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) with its sectoral tariffs, including those on auto parts, steel, and aluminum.

Carney said on July 21 that he spoke with Trump about the latest tariffs, and that the two “agreed to intensify” trade negotiations.

Premiers of the provinces with bans on U.S. alcohol imports, including Ontario Premier Doug Ford, said they will maintain their bans over U.S. trade actions against Canada.

The original agreement for the Gordie Howe Bridge was signed in 2012, with Canada agreeing to front the cost of building the bridge. It was agreed at that point that Canada would collect tolls from the bridge for the first 36 years until it had recovered its costs, after which revenues would be shared with the state of Michigan.

As the bridge was set to open this year, it was delayed by Washington, which said the original agreement wasn’t fair. U.S. Ambassador to Ottawa Pete Hoekstra said since the project has been delayed and over budget, the original terms of the agreement no longer apply, adding that the bridge would be diverting traffic from the privately owned Ambassador Bridge, rather than generating all-new revenue.

Under the new agreement between Ottawa and Washington, the two sides will be sharing “net revenues” for the first 15 years, Carney said. The full terms of the new agreement have not yet been released.