US Ambassador to Canada is both right and wrong about the Gordie Howe Bridge

The Gordie Howe International Bridge, a critical trade link between the U.S. and Canada, has become a political football in recent weeks after President Trump halted its opening. U.S.

Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra, speaking on the Canadian Food Professor Podcast, dismissed the notion that Canada paid for the bridge as “the big myth that is out there.” He argued that Canada acted as a banker rather than a direct funder, with the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority—fully owned by the Canadian government—taking out a $4.7 billion (U.S.) loan.

The loan is to be repaid using toll revenue generated on the Canadian side of the crossing, with no tolls imposed on traffic entering Canada from the U.S.

Hoekstra emphasized that the U.S. contributed no funds to the project, a stance America had insisted upon for years.

He also claimed the bridge wouldn’t generate new traffic but would instead divert revenue from existing crossings, including the privately owned Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel.

The Ambassador Bridge, owned by the Moroun family since the 1970s, currently handles 27% of U.S.-Canada trade and generates roughly $60 million annually in tolls.

Hoekstra denied allegations that the bridge’s delay was tied to political donations from the Moroun family to Republicans, including Trump and himself, though he sidestepped direct answers when pressed.

The Morouns have vocally opposed the new bridge, which would siphon off a significant portion of their toll revenue.

Industry analysts note that some trucking companies already avoid the Ambassador Bridge due to high costs, rerouting through Michigan’s Blue Water Bridge at Port Huron instead.

Once operational, the Gordie Howe Bridge will impose tolls only on the Canadian side until the initial investment is recouped, after which tolls will be split evenly between the two countries.

Despite the delay, the bridge remains a vital infrastructure project for automotive supply chains, as vehicles from Detroit’s Big Three plants often cross the border multiple times during production.

The Ambassador Bridge’s congestion, frequently backing up traffic along I-96 in Detroit, underscores the urgency of an alternative crossing.

While Hoekstra’s technical explanation of the financing may be accurate, critics argue his framing obscures the reality that Canada is ultimately on the hook for the debt, even if structured as a loan to a government-owned entity.