Canada, US to share bridge revenue for 15 years

Canada has agreed to split half of the revenue of the Gordie Howe International Bridge with a U.S. government-controlled economic development fund during its first years of operation, according to a revenue-sharing agreement reached between the two nations. 

The agreement, released Wednesday, states that for the first 15 years of the bridge's operation, Canada will split half of its net revenue with the economic development fund "established and solely controlled" by the U.S. government, CBC reported.  

Under the agreement, net revenue is defined as all revenue collected from the bridge, which connects Detroit to Windsor, Ontario, minus operating costs.

The language appears to differ from previous statements by Prime Minister Mark Carney, who had said Canada would begin sharing "net profits" only after the country had repaid the debt incurred to build the bridge.

Carney later clarified that the agreement involved sharing net revenue rather than profits, but opposition parties said his explanation raised additional questions and demanded the government release the full text of the agreement.

Canada financed the entire $4.7 billion cost of constructing the bridge.

Under the original agreement signed more than a decade ago, Canada and the state of Michigan were to split toll revenue only after construction costs had been repaid, a milestone expected to take decades.

The Canadian government has maintained that the original agreement remains in effect.

The newly released text does not define what qualifies as operating costs and makes no reference to repayment of Canada's construction debt.

The Trump administration has maintained that revenue sharing would occur before payments toward the bridge's principal and interest.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre criticized Carney on Wednesday, accusing the prime minister of contradicting his earlier assurances that Canada's debt would be repaid before any bridge revenue was shared with the United States.

The agreement says Canada and the United States will jointly determine the objectives of the economic development fund, which "will be for the benefit of the United States and trade between Canada and the United States."

It also states that officials from both countries will finalize the legal, financial, and administrative arrangements needed to implement the agreement "as expeditiously as possible."

The latest agreement follows months of uncertainty after President Donald Trump threatened earlier this year to block the bridge's opening unless Canada agreed to concessions, even though Canada financed the bridge and its surrounding infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Canadian officials have called off Friday's joint ceremony with the United States to mark the bridge's opening after Trump imposed a 50% tariff on some Canadian imports, including dairy and alcohol, earlier this week.

"In light of trade action threatened by the United States earlier this week, it would be inappropriate to proceed with a celebratory event between the two countries," Jenna Ghassabeh, a spokesperson for Canadian Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson, said in a statement. 

Instead, Canada will now hold its own opening ceremony for the bridge Friday, days ahead of its planned official opening July 17. 

Trump announced the new tariffs on Monday, with administration officials stating that the measures would impact products "from wine to hockey sticks to cement."

The move was made in response to what the administration said were "discriminatory" Canadian trade measures.

Ghassabeh said that Canada is still committed to opening the bridge on July 27, "and to celebrating this milestone among Canadians on July 24th."

It was not clear if the United States is holding its own ceremony.