Canada cancels joint bridge-opening celebration with US amid trade tensions | US news
A joint U.S.-Canada ceremony planned for Friday celebrating the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge connecting Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, is no longer expected to take place after Donald Trump announced he would impose a 50% tariff on most Canadian products.
In announcing the tariffs, the president accused Canada of unfairly discriminating against US autos, alcohol and dairy products and escalating tensions with one of the US’s closest allies.
“In light of the trade action the United States threatened earlier this week, it would be inappropriate to proceed with a celebratory event between the two countries,” Jenna Ghassabeh, a spokeswoman for Canadian infrastructure minister Gregor Robertson, said in an emailed statement.
The move comes after U.S. and Canadian officials agreed earlier this month to open the Gordie Howe International Bridge following delays caused by disputes between the two countries.
Canada now plans to hold its own ceremony on Friday. It is not yet clear whether the United States will hold a separate ceremony.
Two U.S. officials, who discussed internal deliberations on condition of anonymity, said they expected the bridge to open to traffic on July 27 but were less certain than before.
“We are committed to opening the bridge on July 27 and celebrating this milestone among Canadians on July 24,” Ghassabeh said.
The 1.5-mile-long (2.4 km-long) bridge spans the Detroit River and connects Detroit to Windsor. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was originally scheduled for June 12 but was abruptly postponed after officials said the United States and Canada were still working to resolve “extraordinary issues.”
Canada financed the construction of the bridge under an agreement that allowed the cost to be covered through toll revenue. The Trump administration requested changes to this regulation.
Mark Carney’s government has been tight-lipped about the details of the deal. But late Tuesday, shared the terms of the agreement Following criticism from MPs of opposition parties who accused the government of being depressing.
The agreement states that Canada will share 50% of revenues from net bridges and tolls with an economic development fund controlled by the U.S. government.
These terms appear to contradict the prime minister’s previous statements regarding the agreement. On July 16, the prime minister said at an unrelated press conference that toll revenues would not be divided until Canada was refunded.
The project, negotiated under former Michigan governor Rick Snyder, has been under construction since 2018 and cost about $4.4 billion.
The bridge is named after Canadian hockey star Gordie Howe, who spent 25 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings. It is expected to become another important economic artery between Canada and the United States.
In February, Trump demanded in a social media post that Canada give the U.S. government at least half of the bridge and agree to other unspecified demands that are part of broader conflicts he has with Canada over trade.
Those tensions resurfaced this week. The White House said the tariffs would go into effect within 30 days and leave time for negotiations. Trump has previously delayed or backed away from some threatened import tariffs.
Carney said in a statement about the tariffs that his government believes in the “benefits of free and fair trade” and is ready to negotiate with the Trump administration.
Tariffs could escalate into a broader trade war as Canada weighs how to respond.
“If these tariffs continue, Canada must respond tariff by tariff, dollar for dollar,” Ontario’s premier, Doug Ford, said on social media.
