By Paul Vieira


OTTAWA--Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said the new bridge connecting Canada with Detroit is set to open to traffic in the coming days, marking a tentative sign of a trade detente between Ottawa and Washington.

In February, President Trump threatened to hold up the opening of the new Gordie Howe International Bridge, which was designed to alleviate truck-traffic congestion on North America's busiest land crossing, between Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit. At the time, Trump said in a post on Truth Social that the U.S. should be given an ownership stake of at least 50% in the bridge, and "fully compensated for everything we have given" Canada. Trump also complained about the quantity of U.S. products, like steel, used in the construction of the 1.5-mile corridor. Michigan and Canada are the bridge's co-owners.

Carney told reporters Tuesday that "the bridge will be open at the end of the week." Local media in Detroit had reported Monday there was a ribbon-cutting ceremony set for Friday, to be attended by U.S. and Canadian officials.

Carney said in brief comments prior to a cabinet meeting that the bridge is a symbol "of cooperation between our countries." A spokeswoman for the prime minister didn't add further details.

A White House official said in an email that the President's position on the Gordie Howe International Bridge hasn't changed, and the administration "remains committed to securing the best deal for the American people." The White House didn't respond to followup queries confirming the bridge's opening. Last month, Trump's chief envoy in Ottawa, Ambassador Pete Hoekstra, said the President had to sign off on an agreement that would ultimately allow the bridge to open to traffic.

Representatives for the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa referred questions to the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, the Canadian government body in charge of the 1.5-mile corridor. A spokeswoman didn't respond to a request for comment. The authority has repeatedly said the bridge was tracking toward a spring opening.

The opening of the bridge comes before the formal start of a U.S.-led review of the existing U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade pact, or USMCA. Talks between the U.S. and Mexico have moved to a more formal stage, whereas discussions between Ottawa and Washington are at a preliminary stage. White House officials have described talks with Canada as challenging, although Canadian officials said they are moving toward a more positive stage following meetings this month

Construction on the new bridge began in 2018, and it will operate alongside the privately held Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel.

The U.S. and Canada agreed in 2012 to build the Gordie Howe bridge, although Canada would foot the bulk of the construction bill. According to the pact's details, Canada would collect tolls from the bridge, which would be used to pay the private-sector bridge builder. No tolls would be collected on the U.S. side, and Michigan wouldn't have to contribute funding to the project.

The U.S. Transportation Department puts the cost of building the Gordie Howe Bridge at $4.4 billion.

The bridge is named after the Canadian hockey star, who won four Stanley Cups as a forward with the Detroit Red Wings.


Write to Paul Vieira at paul.vieira@wsj.com


(END) Dow Jones Newswires

06-09-26 1352ET