Built, Paid For, and Not Open: Patty Handysides on the Gordie Howe Bridge

Shane Hewitt and The Nightshift · May 9, 2026 · 9m

Gordie Howe Bridge is ready. It has been under construction for eight years, funded entirely by Canada, and co-owned by Canada and Michigan. Patty Handysides says most people in Windsor believe what is holding up the opening has something to do with Donald Trump.

The Ambassador Bridge, built in the 1920s and privately owned by one American family, is the only international bridge in North America under private ownership. When the Gordie Howe Bridge announced its toll, the Ambassador Bridge immediately dropped its price from $13 each way to $5. The New York Times reported that the bridge's…