It's going to be a little bit longer before travellers can use the new bridge.
Windsor West MP Brian Masse has stated it's official that the Gordie Howe International Bridge will be delayed for opening by 10 months.
While the new bridge between Windsor and Detroit was expected to open to vehicles in November 2024, construction completion is now expected in September 2025.
Masse posted to social media about the news, stating that while the completion has been delayed, more Community Benefits will be awarded locally.
The contract for the project has been changed from $5.7-billion to $6.4-billion, with Community Benefits to be extended with another $3-million to be split between Windsor/Sandwich Towne and Delray/South Detroit.
He says it's important that safety of the bridge is the top priority and that the 10 month delay was expected to some degree.
"What I wanted to get was Community Benefits because the delay is going to create continued issues for the community, and so they respected that request. And so we'll get around $3-million to be divided between Windsor and Detroit for the communities that are affected, including Sandwich Towne and areas that are actually approaching the foundation of the structure."
He says this bridge has been a long-time coming, but it needs to be done right.
"We want to get this done properly, and we want it done in a way that's actually safe for the workers and it's also going to have the same planning that's necessary for improving Sandwich Towne, and west Windsor, and south Windsor. So, at the end of the day it's going to be better for all of us, and if it takes them another year, then that's okay, especially as we're going to get some benefits along the way."
Masse adds that he will be reviewing the Public-Private Partnership contract as it was guaranteed there would be support for delays or problems along the way.
"I'll be looking at it really carefully. I don't mind the one year delay in terms of when it's necessary for improving the conditions for workers, and also making sure the community is taken care of, but at the same time we need a Public-Private Partnership that was supposed to guarantee results for us. And I'll be looking at those things and making sure the numbers add up because at the end of the day it's public money."
Masse says he will continue to advocate in Parliament for compensation for the project, and more support and investment is needed.
Construction on the bridge began back in October 2018, more than 20 years after the idea was first proposed.
It will be the largest cable stayed bridge in North America once complete.