Two Michigan state senators are showing their support to Windsor following the latest delay in opening the Gordie Howe International Bridge.
Democratic state senators Stephanie Chang and Erika Geiss travelled to Sandwich Town Friday to have lunch with former Windsor West New Democrat MP Brian Masse, Windsor West New Democrat MPP Lisa Gretzky, and Ward 2 Windsor City Councillor Frazier Fathers.
Canada and the United States announced Thursday that they have agreed to postpone the opening of the crossing to allow more time to address outstanding issues, a delay that was at the request of the United States according to Prime Minister Mark Carney.
The Gordie Howe Bridge is co-owned by the governments of Canada and Michigan.
The bridge’s construction was paid in full by Canada, and those costs are meant to be recovered through bridge tolls that will be shared with Michigan once it’s fully paid for.
A report out of Michigan indicated the outstanding issues revolve around U.S. ownership of the bridge and the sharing of toll revenue.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra are reported to have intervened in the file before the delay was announced.
State senator Geiss says she does not agree the deal should be renegotiated to force Canada to share toll revenue sooner, calling it disingenuous and dishonest.
“It would be a slap in the face to all the people and organizations who worked on bringing this project to fruition, getting the bridge completed, and getting it opened,” she says. “It’s unfortunate that at the last hour, so to speak, they have come in and are trying to issue more delays.”
State senator Stephanie Chang says they’re hopeful this will all be resolved and the bridge will open.
“It’s absolutely critical; we hear about this from our automotive economy, and we hear about it from our residents who are eager to get this done. I know this is important for the Canadian economy as well,” she says.
The New York Times reported that Ambassador Bridge owner Matthew Moroun met with Lutnick just before U.S. President Donald Trump issued a social media post in February threatening to block the bridge’s opening if the United States wasn’t compensated.
Trump said in February the U.S. would need to be compensated before he would allow the bridge to open. White House officials have said that the president’s position is unchanged.
State senator Geiss says the Ambassador Bridge has not been a good neighbour.
“I think that part of the impetus to delay the bridge did come from them,” she says.
The decision to postpone the opening comes as invitations had been sent out for a ribbon-cutting on Friday on the $6.4 billion bridge connecting Windsor and Detroit.