A new bridge meant to expedite Canada-U.S. trade is built, but not open. Why?

Summary

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Consider This from NPR

Episode Title: A New Bridge Meant to Expedite Canada-U.S. Trade Is Built, but Not Open. Why?
Date: June 28, 2026
Host: Don Gonyea
Guests: Alex McLennan (WDET Reporter), Stephen Laskowski (Ontario Trucking Association/Canadian Trucking Alliance), Misty Sergey (Windsor resident)

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Episode Overview

This episode explores the ongoing political and economic standoff over the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge—a massive, long-anticipated link between Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, built to boost trade across the Canada-U.S. border. Despite completion after eight years and a $6 billion Canadian investment, the bridge remains closed due to political maneuvering and influence from private interests, sparking anger and frustration on both sides of the border.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Bridge and Its Importance

• The Detroit-Windsor corridor is North America's busiest land border crossing, with millions of trucks and billions in trade passing through annually.
• The Gordie Howe Bridge, named for a legendary Canadian hockey player, was co-financed by the Canadian government and Michigan, with Canada fronting the cost and planning to share toll revenue after costs are recouped.
• Despite completion, the bridge sits unused, amplifying trade delays and economic tensions while residents and businesses await its opening.
• Existing Ambassador Bridge, owned by the Maroon family (major political donors), is the current freight link, but aging infrastructure and inefficiencies make expansion crucial.

Memorable Quote:

"It's a bridge that right now sits in limbo. It's completed, it's ready to go, but it has all been tied up."
— Don Gonyea (00:54)

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The Canadian Perspective & Local Frustration

• Many Canadians, like Windsor resident Misty Sergey, express deep frustration at the delay, blaming politics and feeling powerless. Some have responded with informal boycotts on U.S. travel and goods.

Notable Quotes:

"I think it's absolutely ridiculous. I mean, this took eight years to build. $6 billion Canada paid for everything and to get this held up just is out of our control, obviously out of Canada's control."
— Misty Sergey (01:48)

"The American businesses are waiting for the opening because Canadians will spend their money and it's not their fault this is going on."
— Misty Sergey (02:14)

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The Political Roadblock: U.S. Federal Government & Private Interests

• In February, President Trump intervened, demanding U.S. federal ownership stake before permitting bridge operation—a move closely linked to influence from the Maroon family, owners of the competing Ambassador Bridge and major GOP donors.
• Scheduled grand opening events have been abruptly canceled; the White House has not clarified its reasons or responded to requests for comment.
• Political pressure differs starkly across the border: Canadian officials are outspokenly critical, while Michigan and Detroit leaders are notably silent or cautious.

Key Segment:

"The Maroon family has owned the Ambassador Bridge for generations...and they would like assurances that they're not going to be losing money once the new span opens. Mayor Drew Dillkins over in Windsor says that's a major reason why the bridge hasn't opened yet."
— Alex McLennan (05:25)

"The rhetoric seems to be fairly different and you get the sense that a lot of the politicians on the American side would like it to kind of go under the radar and be as quiet as possible."
— Alex McLennan (06:57)

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Trade & Industry Impact: Truckers’ Perspective

• Stephen Laskowski, CEO of the Ontario Trucking Association & the Canadian Trucking Alliance, explains that the outdated Ambassador Bridge causes inefficiency and delays for truckers, including outdated checkpoints and traffic congestion.
• The new bridge promises streamlined tolls, enhanced security, modern checkpoints, and efficiency gains crucial for trade and economy.
• The indefinite delay is causing “frustration and anger” among trucking companies, which see the situation as needless waste and missed productivity.

Notable Quotes:

"Why am I going through these inefficiencies when there's a brand new efficient connection that I can use?"
— Stephen Laskowski (09:03)

"This makes way too much business sense for that bridge to open. And there's a credible frustration...We could be better together. Why aren't we? That's frustrating and now verging on anger."
— Stephen Laskowski (10:57)

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The Deal Structure and Controversy

• Canada ultimately funded the bridge after disputes with U.S. federal authorities, agreeing to recoup costs through tolls before sharing revenue with Michigan and (potentially) the U.S. federal government.
• The sticking point remains political: American federal intervention, influenced by donors and private ownership, has withheld the final operational greenlight.

Key Explanation:

"...the bridge was conceived in controversy and its birth is in controversy...Canada took the leadership and said this. We will build it, we will pay for it. When the debt is paid by the tolls, we will share that toll revenue with the state of Michigan and Washington. However that was to play out. And so to me, ultimately as a business person, I don't think you can get a fairer deal."
— Stephen Laskowski (09:52)

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Cross-Border Frustration & Hopes

• Misty Sergey expresses a personal vow to return to visiting the U.S. and using the bridge as soon as it opens, a sentiment widespread among border residents eager for renewed connection and commerce.
• Despite repeated attempts, neither the Maroon family nor the White House responded to NPR’s requests for comment.

Closing Moment:

"I can't wait to see that bridge open. Like, we've been waiting eight years for this."
— Misty Sergey (12:21)

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Important Timestamps

• 00:00–01:47 — Introduction, background on the bridge’s significance
• 01:48–02:24 — Canadian resident Misty Sergey’s perspective on the delay
• 02:53–03:26 — WDET’s Alex McLennan on canceled grand opening and political interference
• 04:38–06:11 — Discussion of the Ambassador Bridge, Maroon family, and political influence
• 06:32–07:36 — Canadian vs. American political response
• 07:44–11:45 — Trucking industry perspective (Stephen Laskowski) on the real-world impact of the bridge’s closure
• 11:52–12:33 — Final reflections: attempts to reach the Maroon family and White House, resident hopes for the future

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Summary Tone

The reporting is detailed, neutral, and empathetic—highlighting the economic logic of opening the bridge while exposing the frustration, anger, and sense of missed opportunity among Canadians and industry leaders.

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For further reading or to listen to the full episode, visit NPR Consider This.

Transcript

[A]

It's consider this where every day we go deep on one big news story. American businesses, especially those in the northern half of the United States, depend on trade with our closest neighbor, Canada. Millions of trucks carrying billions of dollars worth of car parts, machinery and a long list of other commodities pass across checkpoints along one small stretch of the border each year. It's known as North America's busiest land crossing and it sits between Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario. I'm standing here on the Detroit side of the Detroit River. Windsor is just a short distance across the way. That of course is Canada. And more significantly, I'm essentially underneath or close to it, the brand new Gordie Howe Bridge. Construction on the Gordie Howe, named for the hall of Fame Canadian born hockey legend who played for the Detroit Red wings, began in 2018. The Canadian government and the state of Michigan share 5050 ownership of the bridge. Canada agreed to front the cost of construction and to split the toll fees with the state of Michigan or once that cost has been recouped. Today there's a problem. The bridge is ready to open, but it's still closed. It's a bridge that right now sits in limbo. It's completed, it's ready to go, but it has all been tied up across the river in the Canadian city, Windsor. Residents are angry about the delays.

[B]

I think it's absolutely ridiculous. I mean, this took eight years to build. $6 billion Canada paid for everything and to get this held up just is out of our control, obviously out of Canada's control.

[A]

65 year old Misty Sergey says she's refrained from traveling to the US or buying American as tensions have increased between the two countries.

[B]

The American businesses, you know, are waiting for the opening because Canadians will spend their money and it's not their fault this is going on.

[A]

In February, President Trump posted on Truth Social demanding that Canada share ownership with the US Federal government before he would allow it to open. Months passed after the threat. In June, the bridge authority actually scheduled a grand opening, but at the last minute it was canceled. WDET reporter Alex McLennan has been covering the bridge since the construction began eight years ago.

[C]

It was on track to happen and then at the last minute the government seemingly stepped in and said no.

[A]

Consider this as the economies of both countries watch and wait. Why is the Gordie Howe Bridge still not. From npr, I'm don gonyea.

[D]

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[A]

It's Consider this from NPR on the U.S. canada border, a massive new corridor for trade is complete and empty. Empty, it appears, because of the president of the United States. I met up with WDET member Station reporter Alex McLennan on the American side of the Detroit river to understand why the Gordie Howe Bridge has yet to open. So there is another bridge just to the east of us here that is the current route for trucks carrying goods back and forth between the two countries. It's the Ambassador Bridge. How does that bridge's situation affect what we're looking at with the new Gordie Howe Bridge?

[C]

Well, pretty closely. The Maroon family has owned the Ambassador Bridge for generations. They're big supporters of the Trump administration. They've donated millions to the Republican Party. And when you talk to politicians over on the other side of the border in Windsor, they say that that relationship with the Trump administration is one of the reasons that this bridge hasn't opened yet. Essentially, they're currying favor with the Trump administration. They've given them a lot of money and they would like assurances that they're not going to be losing money once the new span opens. Mayor Drew Dillkins over in Windsor says that's a major reason why the bridge hasn't opened yet. And that seems to be a sticking point.

[A]

So the mayor of Windsor, Dillkins, has been outspoken and very frustrated.

[C]

Yeah. He's frequently critical of both the Trump administration and the Maroon family, and this isn't the first time that they've butted heads.

[A]

The bridge was built and paid for by the Canadian government.

[F]

Correct.

[A]

People are no doubt wondering what the the role of the White House is then. How can the White House stop the opening?

[C]

Well, they have the staffing for the bridge has to come from the federal government, whatever powers the federal government has to deny. Crossing from the bridge is unclear. I think it's a can of worms that no one really wants to open and they're waiting for everyone to just give the thumbs up to do it.

[A]

Are we hearing Michigan and Detroit politicians be as critical as what we're hearing from across the river in Windsor? Mayor Dilkins?

[C]

No, really not. The rhetoric seems to be fairly different and you get the sense that a lot of the politicians on the American side would like it to kind of go under the radar and be as quiet as possible. Well, the ones on the Canadian side have been very critical because the relationship isn't just about the bridge. It's a microcosm of the ongoing political climate between the two countries and there's a lot of tension there. The Canadians are very willing to call that out. It seems like when it comes to especially city politicians in Detroit, they don't want to draw the eye of the president too much and they are keeping as low of a profile as possible when it comes to talking about big issues like the bridge.

[A]

In the meantime, we wait.

[C]

Everyone will just be twiddling their thumbs until the bridge opens.

[A]

Alex, thanks for bringing us up to speed on all of this.

[C]

Anytime, Don.

[A]

One of those thumb twiddlers is Stephen Leskowski. He's the head of the Ontario Trucking association and president of the Canadian Trucking alliance, based in Toronto. Laszkowski was about to make the drive to the Detroit Windsor border for the Gordie Howes ribbon cutting ceremony when he got the news.

[F]

I was heading out. My wife said, your phone's ringing. And I said, oh, God. And the oh God was answered, said, don't bother going.

[A]

I wanted to talk to Leskowski to better understand just how important the bridge is for the people who drive 4 million trucks across this corridor every. Can you kind of put me in the driver's seat of a truck being piloted by one of your members approaching the Ambassador Bridge. What, what are the kind of things that go through their mind today with that being the soul span connecting Detroit and Windsor?

[F]

I think number one is how many lights am I going to hit? There's 10 of them. And then when you get to the other, other side, when you finally get there and if you're moving agricultural product, am I going to be sent to secondary that's kilometers off the bridge?

[A]

Secondary meaning just like a secondary checkpoint to go more closely through the cargo.

[F]

Exactly it. So what's going through their head? Why am I Going through these inefficiencies when there's a brand new efficient connection that I can use.

[A]

Describe for me how that will change with the Gordie Howe Bridge when that's an option.

[F]

So you don't just have a logistical improvement with the Gordie Howe Bridge. You have an efficiency improvement with regards to toll collections. But more importantly for everyone, security, X ray machines, new plazas where trucks can be efficiently inspected, but ensuring security from all around us.

[A]

President Donald Trump has held up the bridges opening and he has said it's because America isn't getting a good deal. How do you react to that?

[F]

So I'm not going to react necessarily to what individuals are saying in Ottawa or in Washington, but I'll explain what the deal is and then people can make their own judgments of what is happening. The bridge was conceived in controversy and its birth is in controversy. The US And Canada couldn't agree on how it would be funded. And ultimately Canada took the leadership and said this. We will build it, we will pay for it. When the debt is paid by the tolls, we will share that toll revenue with the state of Michigan and Washington. However that was to play out. And so to me, ultimately as a business person, I don't think you can get a fair deal.

[A]

Obviously you represent your organizations, but you're a Canadian, you've lived in close proximity to the US you work in an industry where there's been this cooperation. Are you just finding this maddening? Are you angry about it on any level?

[F]

Well, I think that, you know, unfortunately I have to keep my robe of president on. I think there's a lot of frustration, a lot of frustration. This makes way too much business sense for that bridge to open. And there's a credible frustration within my own offices, within my members offices at this situation. There is anger by some in our membership, anger at the fact that waste is happening, just unnecessary waste in our economies and society have become great by eliminating waste, by becoming more productive. And that's the anger. We could be better together. Why aren't we? That's frustrating and now verging on anger. We can be better and we're being held back unnecessarily.

[A]

Stephen Laskowski is CEO of the Ontario Trucking Association. Stephen, thank you.

[F]

Thank you very much.

[A]

And we reached out to the Ambassador Bridge owned by the Trump friendly Maroon family, and to the White House about accusations that the family has asked the administration to to delay the opening of its rival bridge. Neither has responded yet. Meanwhile, Misty Sergey, the Windsor resident who swore off visiting America. She says if and when the bridge opens, she'll end her personal boycott.

[B]

I will probably walk over, maybe drive over, you know, but I can't wait to see that bridge open. Like, we've been waiting eight years for this.

[A]

After all, she says, it is a Canadian bridge and she wants to support her country. This episode was produced by Henry Larson. It was edited by Sarah Robbins. Our director is Elena Burnett and our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorn.

[F]

Foreign.

[A]

It's Consider this from npr. I'm Don Gonier.

[D]

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