Canada has scrapped plans for a joint ceremony with the United States celebrating the launch of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, after President Donald Trump renewed threats to impose steep tariffs on Canadian goods.
The new international crossing links Detroit with Windsor, Ontario, and carries the name of Gordie Howe, the Canadian hockey icon who became a Detroit Red Wings legend — a fitting symbol of the deep cultural and economic ties between Canada and the U.S.
Trump said Monday that his administration intends to place a 50% tariff on selected Canadian imports, arguing that Canada has treated U.S. businesses unfairly in sectors including dairy, automobiles and alcohol. White House officials said Canadian trade rules have created advantages for foreign competitors at the expense of American companies.
“In light of trade action threatened by the United States earlier this week, it would be inappropriate to proceed with a celebratory event between the two countries,” Jenna Ghassabeh, a spokesperson for Canadian Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson, told Reuters in a statement.
President Donald Trump previously warned in February that he could move to block the Gordie Howe International Bridge from opening unless Canada entered tariff negotiations with the U.S. (Getty Images)
The Gordie Howe International Bridge is still expected to begin carrying traffic next Monday. Officials from both countries had been slated to take part in a Friday ribbon-cutting event, Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens earlier told local outlets, according to Reuters.
Ghassabeh told Reuters the bridge opening will go ahead as planned next week, but any commemorative event will now be limited to Canadian participants.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney addresses reporters during a news conference at the National Press Theatre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on July 30, 2025. (DAVE CHAN/AFP via Getty Images)
The multibillion-bridge project has faced multiple setbacks amid strained relations between the United States and Canada.
In February, Trump threatened to block the project after accusing Canada of unfair trade practices and criticizing its relationship with China. He cited Ontario’s removal of U.S. alcohol products from its liquor store shelves as an example of what he described as unfair treatment.
The bridge opening was later cleared to proceed after the U.S. and Canada reached a deal on how tolls would be charged to drivers earlier this month.
The Gordie Howe International Bridge, under construction to link Detroit, Michigan, with Windsor, Ontario, as seen in a drone image taken from Windsor, Ontario, Canada, February 10, 2026. (REUTERS/Dax Melmer/File Photo)
The new bridge is expected to ease traffic on the privately owned Ambassador Bridge, the largest commercial border crossing between the two countries, which also connects Detroit and Windsor.
The port of entry handled $126 billion in trade carried by commercial trucks in 2023, Reuters reported.
