The construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, which connects Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit, has been completed since February. However, a significant legal challenge against Canada’s decision to build the bridge is not expected to go to trial until 2027 or 2028, as revealed in a recently acquired federal briefing note.
The briefing note, prepared for federal Housing and Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson by deputy minister Paul Halucha on February 17, 2026, highlighted that the construction of the bridge is nearly finished. The remaining tasks involve the commissioning and testing of critical systems before the bridge can open pending final certifications and coordinated readiness from Canadian and U.S. agencies.
The document also mentions that U.S. President Donald Trump had threatened to block the opening of the bridge unless the U.S. received a share, even though Canada solely financed and built the bridge. The briefing note disclosed that the Gordie Howe International Bridge has faced 22 legal challenges from the owners of the competing Ambassador Bridge over the past two decades, with Canada prevailing in 19 cases.
One of the remaining legal battles, set to go to trial in late 2027 or early 2028, involves the Canadian Transit Company’s claim that the creation of the company in 1921 implied protection from competing crossings, which was allegedly infringed upon by the construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge.
The lawsuit argues that Canada violated the implied rights of the Canadian Transit Company. Two other active legal challenges include a NAFTA arbitration claim and an Ontario court case where the federal government challenges century-old franchise rights asserted by the Ambassador Bridge owners regarding the operation and construction of a new span.
According to the obtained document, the Gordie Howe International Bridge represents a significant effort to establish a public crossing in a corridor historically dominated by the privately owned Ambassador Bridge. Laurie Trautman, director of the Border Policy Research Institute at Western Washington University, emphasized the complexity of building cross-border infrastructure in the current economic and political climate.
The Gordie Howe International Bridge is anticipated to impact traffic patterns in the Windsor-Detroit corridor significantly. The document mentioned that tolls on the new crossing are expected to be lower than those at the Ambassador Bridge, which could lead to a shift in traffic to the new bridge due to its modern infrastructure and direct highway connections.
Truckers, eagerly awaiting the opening of the bridge, anticipate cost savings and improved logistics compared to using the Ambassador Bridge or other detours. The delay in opening the Gordie Howe International Bridge has resulted in increased costs for the supply chain.
The Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, the Crown corporation overseeing the new bridge, has stated that the bridge’s opening is scheduled for the spring. Infrastructure Canada, responsible for the project, has not provided specific details on the legal challenges or the exact opening date but assured progress towards the bridge’s vital role as an economic link between Canada and the U.S.