Wednesday, February 11, 2026

WE BUILT IT, WE PAID FOR IT

Canada's Carney says Ontario-Michigan bridge tensions will be 'resolved' after Trump call


Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Tuesday that he had a call with US President Donald Trump and said tensions would be "resolved" after Trump threatened to block a $4.7 billion bridge project between Canada and the United States.

Issued on: 10/02/2026 - 
By: FRANCE 24
Spanning the Detroit River, the Gordie Howe International Bridge will be the longest cable-stayed bridge in North America. © Business Wire via AP

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he spoke to US President Donald Trump Tuesday about a new bridge connecting Canada and the US, assuring that the president's complaints about the project will be "resolved".

Trump said the United States should own "at least half" of the still under-construction Gordie Howe International Bridge that links the Canadian province of Ontario with the US state of Michigan.

Work on the $4.7-billion bridge – named after the late Canadian-born National Hockey League great and Detroit Red Wings star Gordie Howe – started in 2018. It is due to open this year.

According to a fact-sheet issued by the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, the bridge was financed entirely by Canada and will be jointly owned by the governments of Canada and the state of Michigan.

US-Canada relations cool at the border over Trump's tariffs and threats

FOCUS © FRANCE 24
05:19



"I spoke to the president this morning. Regarding the bridge, the situation is going to be resolved," Carney told reporters in Ottawa without giving details.

"I explained that Canada, of course, paid for the construction of the bridge; that the ownership is shared between the state of Michigan and the government of Canada," Carney said.

Trump, who has repeatedly suggested that Canada become the 51st US state, threatened to block the opening of the bridge in a social media post late Monday.

"I will not allow this bridge to open until the United States is fully compensated for everything we have given them, and also, importantly, Canada treats the United States with the Fairness and Respect that we deserve," Trump posted on Truth Social.

"We will start negotiations, IMMEDIATELY."

Among other complaints, Trump alleged Canada used "virtually" no US products to build it.

Carney said he told Trump "there's Canadian steel, Canadian workers, but also US steel, US workers that were involved" in construction.

Carney did not comment on Trump's allegation that as a consequence of Canada pursuing a trade deal with China, Beijing would "terminate" ice hockey.

Washington threatened to slap 100 percent tariffs on Canada after Carney visited Beijing last month and sealed a preliminary trade deal with China.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)



















What's behind Trump's threats on the US-Canada Gordie Howe International bridge?


Issued on: 11/02/2026 - FRANCE24

Play (06:28 min)



US President Donald Trump is threatening to block the opening of a new cross-border bridge between the US and Canada over concerns Washington has been treated unfairly over the course of the project. In this edition, we see whether Trump's claims about the bridge are fair and whether other motives could explain his threats. Also, Argentinians want an update on the method used to calculate inflation, which hasn't changed since 2004.






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