Ontario's enormous U.S. border bridge won't open this week as planned

The Gordie Howe International Bridge will not open this week as previously announced.

Just days after Prime Minister Mark Carney stated the long-awaited U.S. border bridge between Detroit and Windsor would open this week, the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA), which operates the new crossing, has poured cold water on any premature celebrations.

In a June 11 statement from WDBA's Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Legal Officer, Chuck Andary, dialled back the public's expectations, saying that the opening of the bridge has once again been "delayed."

"The Gordie Howe International Bridge will be a vital economic link for Canada and the United States," said Andary, adding, "As we work towards an opening date, we are taking a collaborative approach, reflecting our shared ambition for this trade corridor."

"Canada and the United States have agreed to delay the opening of the bridge, taking the necessary time to resolve any outstanding issues," reads the statement.

Andary concluded by thanking the project team, stating that "We appreciate the efforts of workers on both sides of the border to get the bridge to its current state of readiness." 

The $6.4-billion bridge claims the title of North America's longest cable-stayed bridge span, and will be home to the largest U.S. border checkpoint on Canadian soil.

However, delays to the construction timeline, and, more recently, political entanglements amid unprecedented cross-border trade tensions, have repeatedly thwarted the bridge's opening.

No new opening date has been announced for the Gordie Howe International Bridge.