Trump Doesn't Share the Gordie Howe Bridge with Canada

The brand-new bridge may never open if Trump changes the previously issued permit.

The Gordie Howe Bridge is set to connect the Canadian province of Ontario and the US state of Michigan, separated by the Michigan River. This isn’t the only transportation corridor between Michigan and Ontario. In particular, there’s the Ambassador Bridge, but it connects city streets, creating additional traffic congestion on both sides. The new bridge extends onto highways on both sides: the 401-st in Canada and the I-75 in the US.

The bridge is named after Gordie Howe, a Canadian hockey player who long played for the American NHL club “Detroit Red Wings”.

The bridge began construction in 2018. The Canadian government fully funded the construction of the structure, and ownership of the bridge is split equally between Michigan and Canada, however, Canada has the right to charge most of the tolls for using the bridge, thus “recovering” the cost of construction. The plots of land where the bridge rests on both sides of the river belong, respectively, to the state and Canada.

However, Trump has stated that the land on both sides of the river belongs to Canada, which is unacceptable. This is incorrect. There are toll collection points on both sides operated by a Canadian company, in line with the original agreement between the Canadian government and the Michigan authorities. The agreement was signed under the previous governor of Michigan, Republican Rick Snyder, who still supports the completion of the project. The current governor, Democrat Gretchen Whitmer, also supports the project.

The construction of the bridge is generally completed. Its opening is scheduled for the end of February this year.

However, Trump, as US President, has the right to withdraw federal consent for the construction of a cross-border facility or impose additional conditions on it. It seems that Trump is going to do the latter. And he is generally right that Canadian contractors and, accordingly, Canadian materials and workers were predominantly used in the construction of the bridge. However, some small American contractors were also involved.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke with Trump on the phone, after which he stated that the conversation was “positive”, that the disagreements would be resolved, and that Trump and Carney are both hockey fans and would enjoy watching the women’s Olympic hockey final (and Canada will win).

Perhaps Trump will negotiate some additional preferences for the US in the operation of the bridge and maybe even extend the bridge to the trade negotiations between the US and Canada (which are due to take place later this year). But after the whole of Greenland, the bridge seems a bit too insignificant…