US-Canada bridge threatened by Trump to open July 27

A long-awaited new bridge between Canada and the United States, threatened by President Donald Trump earlier this year, will open for public use in late July, officials said Friday.

"Today, Canada and Michigan have agreed to open the Gordie Howe International Bridge on July 27, with the support of the United States Government," Canada's Ministry of Infrastructure said in a statement, adding the bridge " will be a vital economic link between Canada and the US -- generating billions of dollars in economic activity for decades to come."

The $4.7 billion (CAN$6.4 billion) bridge, which connects Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, has been under construction since 2018.

Prior to Friday's opening announcement, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney last month said the bridge's inauguration had been delayed indefinitely at the request of the United States due to "technical issues."

In February, Trump threatened to fully block the bridge, insisting that the United States had been treated unfairly in its construction and that it should be "at least half" US-owned.

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 Canada and the US state of Michigan.

It is named after late Canadian-born National Hockey League great and Detroit Red Wings star Gordie Howe, in what was meant to be a symbol of unity between Canada and the United States.

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© Agence France-Presse