canadian minister says old gordie howe bridge deal not obsolete, despite trump's claims
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gregor robertson, minister of housing and infrastructure and minister responsible for pacific economic development canada speaks at the opening of the gordie howe international bridge on friday, july 24, 2026. windsor star/dan janisse
as canada’s opening ceremonies for the gordie howe international bridge were in motion friday, “disinvited” u.s. president donald trump claimed the original deal that made it happen is no longer valid.
but standing at the entrance of the new $6.4-million bridge, housing and infrastructure minister gregor roberston said canada disagrees.
“the canada-michigan crossing agreement and the recently negotiated agreement in principle between canada and the united states remain unchanged from canada’s perspective,” he told reporters. “we’re looking forward to getting the bridge open on monday, and all of the trade and community benefits that are coming from that. i think there’s been lots of emotion, lots of back and forth in these recent weeks. but these agreements are in place and they are publicly available.”
canada held a one-nation celebration of the completion of the gordie howe bridge on friday, after 25 years of debate and eight years of construction.
the ribbon-cutting was announced july 10. but after previous cancelled ceremonies amid trump’s trade war and threats to block the bridge, it didn’t feel like a sure thing until everyone was on the podium.
robertson even got some laughs friday when he said the bridge would open to traffic monday, while crossing his fingers.
friday’s event was originally planned as a binational affair with canadian and u.s. officials meeting on the bridge.
but canada backed out of that plan after trump announced monday he will enforce new 50 per cent tariffs against his largest trading partner starting aug. 19.
u.s. officials did not hold their own ceremony.
the canadians remained steadfast the bridge will open to vehicles at 12 p.m. monday, despite ongoing uncertainty about what trump might decide to do next.
he couldn’t let the day pass without having his say.
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“canada disinvited the united states of america to the opening of the gordie howe bridge, which is fine, considering they are paying substantial tariffs to the united states, but the original deal on the bridge, which was terribly negotiated by a previous administration, no longer stands,” trump wrote on his truth social account. “we changed the terms of the deal so that the united states of america now gets 50% of the profit.”
the original deal was struck in 2012 during a secret meeting in windsor arranged by former michigan governor rick snyder, a republican. canada agreed to front the full cost of the bridge, which ended up being $6.4 billion, in exchange for all toll revenues until it was repaid. that was expected to take 50 years.
after that, the country would split revenues 50/50 with michigan, which is also a half-owner of the bridge.
but trump took to social media in february threatening to block the bridge opening until america received a “better deal.”
canada and the u.s. eventually agreed to a new agreement in principle. the new document states “nothing in this agreement in principle shall be interpreted as amending, modifying or superseding the 2012 canada–michigan crossing agreement or the ownership, governance and financial framework established thereunder.”
the new deal does not mention canada’s $6.4-billion investment or interest and principal payments. robertson did not clarify on friday.
“that is a very short agreement that does clarify if there are net revenues in the first 15 years that they are shared and they are invested on the u.s. side in community economic development that’ll help drive traffic and ultimately produce more toll revenue for the bridge,” said robertson. “at this point, we don’t anticipate a lot of net revenue in the initial years of this bridge.”
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he did say it’s still expected canada will be paid back in about 50 years.
“the agreements stand in place,” he said. “they lay out all of the terms and conditions that have been negotiated to date. this is a collaborative relationship, and we’ve been working on this, as our speakers here today have said, for decades. the original agreement goes back to 2012, so there’s a lot of work done to shape the path forward here.”
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