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Gordie Howe International Bridge Opens to Traffic Under Trade Tensions

A Canada‑funded crossing began carrying cars and trucks on Monday while a mid‑July deal that would send 50% of specified net revenues to a U.S.‑linked fund for 15 years has left key legal definitions unclear and sparked demands for disclosure.

Overview

  • The six‑lane, 1.5‑mile Gordie Howe International Bridge opened to cars and trucks on Monday, with the Howe family and Windsor carrier Onfreight Logistics among the first to cross.
  • Tolls are in effect now for vehicles and commercial trucks and a free multi‑use pedestrian and cyclist path is scheduled to open on Aug. 5.
  • Canada paid about C$6.4 billion to build the span and will collect tolls initially, but a July 'agreement in principle' obliges Canada to pay 50% of “net bridge and crossing related revenues” into a U.S.‑linked fund for 15 years, with definitions of “net” left unclear.
  • U.S. tariffs and President Donald Trump’s demands for compensation led Canada to hold a Canada‑only ribbon cutting after U.S. officials were uninvited, and the tariff action and prior lobbying ties have intensified calls in Canada and the U.S. for oversight.
  • Officials warn the new route will shift commercial traffic away from the privately owned Ambassador Bridge and could reshape regional supply chains, while lawmakers and watchdogs press for full text, clear accounting rules, and parliamentary or congressional review.