Officials from the Government of Canada, the Ontario government, Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, Bridging North America, and the family of NHL hockey legend Gordie Howe are celebrating an overdue ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Gordie Howe International Bridge.
They did it in the most Canadian way possible, by holding a hockey game on the bridge's deck.
The ceremony was a Canada-only affair. Following U.S. President Trump's announcement that his country will impose new 50 per cent tariffs on Canada earlier this week, officials decided it would be inappropriate to invite an American delegation.
Friday's celebration is 25 years in the making. Talk of adding a third border crossing between Windsor and Detroit began shortly after 9-11, when it became evident that more redundancy was needed at the border.
It will open at noon on Monday to traffic, and on August 5 to pedestrians and cyclists.
The bridge boasts six lanes of traffic, 16 toll lanes, and 60 U.S. and Canadian inspection lanes.
Construction on the new bridge started in October 2018. About 15,800 people worked on the construction, putting in 20.1 million work hours. It's the first border crossing built in 60 years between Ontario and Michigan, and is the longest cable-stayed bridge in North America.
The bridge has already provided $1.3-billion to Windsor's Gross Domestic Product with investments in community infrastructure, neighbourhood improvements, and workforce development.
More to come.
