‘Don’t let them use this bridge as leverage in any way, shape, or form if it means Canada has to take a bad deal. I’d hate to see that happen’
North America’s busiest international trade corridor, linking Windsor, Ont. to Detroit, Mich., has a shiny new bridge for tourists and commercial traffic.
Only, none of them can use it right now.
The Gordie Howe Bridge, with its six lanes and modern technology, promises to ease cross-border bottlenecks. The idea is no more border holdups, except, there is one big holdup: Donald Trump. The U.S. president has blocked the bridge’s grand opening, which had been scheduled for last month. He is demanding trade concessions, including ownership of a bridge that is already jointly owned by Canada and Michigan and was fully financed by Canada.
In early June, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the bridge would open but then issued a delay to “resolve outstanding issues.” To get a local perspective on the controversy, we spoke with Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens about the politics at play.
What is the latest direct communication you or Windsor officials have had with Ottawa or Washington about the Gordie Howe Bridge?
Drew Dilkens: There’s been no communication that I’m
aware of since the event was cancelled a few weeks back. I know just what I’m
reading in the newspapers. It sounds like (Commerce) Secretary (Howard) Lutnick
is the hold-up here, trying to get some money for the United States as a
function of the opening of the bridge.
This is entirely wrapped up with our federal government and the United States federal government.
Since the bridge is ready to open, what is the economic cost
to Windsor and the region for every week that it remains closed?
The reality is that the Ambassador Bridge has been there
since 1929. Trade between our two countries is down as a function of Donald
Trump’s tariff war against Canada.
So the Ambassador Bridge and the Blue Water Bridge in Sarnia
(Ontario) are handling the capacity, and there are no backups. So the real
issue here is that the Gordie Howe Bridge provides more efficiency. It is a
direct highway-to-highway connected bridge, and it’ll have the greatest amount
of technology embedded in it such that it should be able to clear trucks much
faster than any other crossing.
So it really is a function of not being able to operate as efficiently as you could operate if the bridge were open. But right now, the existing bridge is handling the capacity, and there are no backups or delays in the city of Windsor.
From the city’s perspective, what terms or conditions would make a deal to open the bridge unacceptable?
I have been very clear to say, “Please, Mark Carney, do not make a bad deal. We will get through. This bridge is constructed. Play the long game on this.”
It was already delayed a couple of years because of COVID and
other delays, and so if we have to wait a little longer for this bridge to
open, we can do it. But don’t go on bent knee to the United States and accept a
bad deal to get this bridge open. We will get through this. We will wait, and
we will be patient.
We have been good actors and good players in this every step of the way, such that Canada funded the entire cost of construction. We have a partnership agreement, between Canada and the state of Michigan, whereby once the bridge is paid for through tolls, the tolls will be split equally between the parties. We have no reason to go on bent knee to the United States at this point.
Don’t let them use this bridge as leverage in any way, shape, or form if it means Canada has to take a bad deal. I’d hate to see that happen.
Do you believe a privately funded lobbying effort tied to competing bridge interests has shaped federal policy on the bridge opening? (Such as from the Maroun family that owns the Ambassador Bridge.)
There is absolutely no doubt that the private interests or the interests of the private operator of the Ambassador Bridge are completely in play with respect to the opening of the Gordie Howe Bridge.
I have lived my entire life in the city of Windsor, so for
the last 25 years when this bridge has been discussed, there have been twists
and turns and ups and downs and lawsuits filed, mostly driven by the
interests of the private owner of the Ambassador Bridge.
Here we are at fourth and goal, at the 11th hour — really the 59th minute — of the bridge opening, and we learn that Mr. (Matthew) Moroun met with Secretary Lutnick.
Within a couple of hours, Donald Trump put a Truth Social post out saying he won’t let the Gordie Howe Bridge open because somehow the Americans have been treated unfairly, which makes no sense whatsoever.
But there is absolutely no doubt that those interests are in play and a big part of the delay. I’m not sure how that will get resolved. But I have also said, “Let me charge tolls on Huron Church Road leading up to the Ambassador Bridge.”
The (Ontario) premier was in Windsor, and he said, “I’m not a person who’s in favour of tolls, but in this situation I might consider it.”
So the longer this goes on, I think people start looking at
what their options are to apply some pressure to get the bridge open.
That’s our ultimate goal here. It’s not to charge tolls. It’s not to impede business or commerce, or add more expense to their bottom line. It’s actually just to get the Gordie Howe Bridge open to allow business to operate more efficiently.
In cities like Windsor and Detroit, where we’re our respective countries’ automotive capitals, the entire industry operates on a just-in-time delivery basis. So efficiency and certainty that goods, once they leave the plant, can get to the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) facility in real time — in time to be put into a final assembly in a vehicle, is of paramount importance. We saw what happens when there are issues where the borders close, like during the Freedom Convoy. It took less than 60 minutes before the OEMs were calling, saying, “What the heck is going on at the Ambassador Bridge?”
They feel it that quickly.
Are there any legal or diplomatic options that you’re urging Ottawa to pursue if the U.S. continues to block the opening? Should Canada give Trump any sort of political win to unlock the bridge, or is that the wrong way to handle it?
I’m a lawyer by trade, and I’ve said from the beginning it would be unconscionable to think that when Canada entered into an agreement and received a presidential permit to construct a bridge connecting our two countries, that there wouldn’t be a simple operating clause inserted into the agreement that says, “Both parties agree to open and operate the bridge given 60 or 90 days notice of completion.”
That would be a standard clause included in any agreement. I can’t believe it’s not there, so let’s assume that it is. How do you enforce your rights? You’d have to go to court. So then the question for the federal government is, are you prepared to go to court and fight the United States and create another point of friction?
I’m sure our federal government is taking a very cautious, measured, and calculated approach to decide how to proceed at this particular time. I absolutely respect that. Our primary interest is to support the federal government in getting a good deal on a renegotiated USMCA or CUSMA agreement that will be a whole lot better long-term than worrying about the Gordie Howe Bridge in the short term.
So … if taking them to court and enforcing some legal right is going to be a flare that’s going to work against the advantage of Canada, then I certainly respect that there’s lots of things to consider.
Regarding both the bridge and broader trade issues, how are the businesses and cross-border supply chains in your area adapting to all the uncertainty of the past year? What are you hearing from local industry leaders?
It’s going to be a problem because, from day to day, folks don’t know what to expect. They could show up at the border and be told that the rules have changed, and they’re unprepared for that.
What business is saying is, “Just tell us what the rules are,
and we’ll take it from there. Just give us the certainty of what the landscape
looks like, and we’ll figure it out.”
The Gordie Howe International Bridge seen from Windsor, Ont., on June 4, 2026. Photo by Dan Janisse/Windsor Star/Postmedia
We’ve always said that a tariff on Canada is a tax on American consumers, and that, in many ways, is playing out. So when it comes to tool, die, and mould as an example, where Windsor-Essex is the North American leader … folks who need those products that we make here really aren’t going to China. They can’t really import them any cheaper from overseas because the tariff rates there are even higher. So they’re forced just to suck it up and pay what the price is, inclusive of the tariff, and buy it from the supplier in Windsor-Essex. Therefore, the cost is higher, and that cost through the supply chain gets passed on to the consumer, which is part of the reason why you see 3.8 per cent inflation.
Folks are figuring that out, but the uncertainty is good for no one’s business. And it’s impacting different businesses in different ways.
What message does a delayed opening of the completed binational bridge send to residents, investors, and trading partners?
I think most sensible people are saying this is just another Donald Trump issue. It’s more chaos Donald Trump has put into the universe. They know where to assign their blame on this issue. Whether he’s being played by the private interests or the interests of the private owner of the Ambassador Bridge, or whether something else in play, we know Donald Trump can resolve this, and he hasn’t.
What role, if any, can Windsor play in pushing the Gordie Howe Bridge to completion, and where do you see the real pressure points — especially on the U.S. side?
It’s not really up to us, because we’re not the operator. We don’t get anything as a result of the Gordie Howe Bridge opening, except an opportunity to leverage it … by saying we’re home to the busiest commercial border crossing. But there’s no direct gain to the municipality when the Gordie Howe Bridge opens. This is really a decision of the federal government to decide what they’re prepared to do to get this bridge open. I’m trying to give them some amount of cover to say, “Don’t make a bad deal, because we’re going to be fine down here.”
I want it open as bad as the next guy in this city. I’ve watched it happen. I’ve been part of this process for 20 years, and I’ve watched it play out for 25 … We have funded the entire cost of this. We have very clean hands in this process. We have worked diligently with the United States to secure the presidential permit required. We brought Michigan in as a 50 per cent equity partner.
Donald Trump has a midterm election in November. Michigan was
a swing state that swung in his favor. There were 8,000 people from Michigan
who helped build the bridge and the plaza with Michigan — with American steel,
with American building products on the U.S. side. They’re watching this as
well. They have eager anticipation just like we do in Windsor to see this
bridge open because there isn’t a place in Windsor you can go where you don’t
see the vista and the pillars of the bridge rising up, and it’s the same on the
Detroit side.
So there’s eager anticipation on both sides of the border,
and I would submit that … people are watching in Michigan, and (Trump has) got
a lot to lose if he wants to play games with a vital crossing that means
positive things for the economies on both sides of the border.
https://nationalpost.com/news/windsor-mayor-says-better-to-keep-gordie-howe-bridge-closed-than-to-make-a-bad-deal