Carney says opening of Gordie Howe Bridge an important symbol of Canada-U.S. ties

Prime Minister Mark Carney says it’s good news that the Gordie Howe Bridge between Windsor, Ont., and Detroit will be opened at the end of the week.

Carney says the bridge is an important symbol of the enduring strength of the bilateral relationship, which has been strained by the ongoing trade war.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the bridge, jointly owned by the governments of Canada and Michigan, is expected to take place Friday. 

The immediate future of the bridge was cast in doubt when U.S. President Donald Trump insisted in a social media post in February that the United States would have to be compensated before he would allow it to open.

Carney did not say this morning whether Canada offered any concessions to get the bridge opened.

The project has long faced pushback from members of the Moroun family, who own the competing Ambassador Bridge.

— With files from Kelly Geraldine Malone in Washington.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2026. 

By David Baxter | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.