Canada-U.S. relations are at a historic nadir in 2025, but, despite the two countries’ spiralling political relationship, construction is pressing on for the enormous Gordie Howe International Bridge — a mammoth representation of this once-unbreakable alliance.
Crews from both sides of the border continue to work side by side amid this unfortunate watershed moment in Canada-U.S. relations, building a $6.4 billion engineering marvel that will close a missing link in the busy international trucking corridor that extends through Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan.
Once complete this September, the Gordie Howe Bridge will host the largest Canadian port of entry along the Canada-U.S. border — a boundary that U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to erase through “economic force.”
Construction is making strides towards completion on the sprawling 53-hectare/130-acre Canadian Port of Entry, all as the U.S. threatens tariffs and even annexation.
Though it is playing out in an uncertain political and economic climate, the bridge remains one of the country’s most talked about engineering marvels, now laying claim to the crown of the longest cable-stayed bridge span in North America.
Political drama between the two nations may be causing chaos and uncertainty in the economy, but it’s business as usual at the site of the new border crossing.
The Gordie Howe Bridge team has been sharing regular updates on the colossal infrastructure investment, including a recent set of photos captured of the soon-to-be record-setting Canadian Port of Entry.
The Port of Entry has largely taken a backseat to the bridge itself, which achieved the title of North America’s longest cable-stayed bridge span when two halves of the crossing were connected by U.S. and Canadian crews last year.
In addition to being Canada’s largest, the Canadian border facility at the Gordie Howe Bridge will stand as one of the largest ports of entry on the continent. However, the facility just across the river will be even larger, measuring approximately 68 hectares/167 acres.
The first cars and trucks are expected to filter through these new ports of entry in September 2025, ten months later than its initial targeted completion date of late 2024.
With the bridge nearing completion and Canadian sovereignty under threat, much attention has focused on the port of entry taking shape on either side of the 2.5-kilometre crossing over the Detroit River.
The U.S. threat to impose crippling tariffs on the Canadian economy, and President Donald Trump’s open consideration of annexing the country, the multibillion-dollar investment from the two countries has become something of a symbol of the bilateral unity now at stake.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford used imagery of the bridge in multiple campaign ads for what was ultimately a successful bid to retake a majority at Queen’s Park in February’s snap election.
Ford secured his third term in Ontario’s top job on the promise of standing up to Donald Trump — a figure Ford has voiced support for at numerous points in his political career.
Gordie Howe International Bridge
