Carney says ‘no big drama’ on Gordie Howe Bridge — but opening may take a bit longer

Prime Minister Mark Carney insisted Wednesday there is “no big drama” surrounding the status of the Gordie Howe International Bridge — but it may take longer to open than anticipated.

“We are working hard to make sure the bridge is open as soon as possible. There is no big drama. If it takes a little longer it will take a little bit longer, but this will benefit Canadians, Americans, business, tourists,” Carney said on his way into the Liberal caucus meeting.

Carney said Tuesday that the second bridge between Windsor and Detroit would “be open at the end of the week.”

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the bridge, jointly owned by the governments of Canada and Michigan, is expected set to take place Friday.

President Donald Trump said in February that the U.S. would need to be compensated before he would allow the bridge to open, and a White House official told Global News on Tuesday that his position has not changed.

Canada covered the $6.4 billion cost of the bridge’s construction. That cost is expected to be recovered through tolls and the two parties will split the revenue once the bridge has been paid for.

The bridge has faced significant pushback from members of the Moroun family, who own the competing Ambassador Bridge. House Democrats in Washington are looking into whether the family acted to obstruct the new bridge.

A Canadian source with knowledge of the planning who is not authorized to speak publicly about it said invitations to the Friday event have been sent and all signs the federal government has received indicate the bridge is cleared to open.

The source said the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority — a Canadian Crown corporation responsible for the construction and administration of the bridge — has all the technical approvals it needs to proceed.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford told reporters in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday that he had doubts about the odds of the opening going ahead as planned.

“Let’s see if it opens or not,” he said. “Hopefully it will, if they say it’s going to open. I’m just hearing two stories.”

The Canadian Press reached out to Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s office for comment and it referred questions to the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority.

By David Baxter

— With files from Kelly Geraldine Malone in Washington