Gordie Howe bridge deal text confirms 15-year revenue split with U.S.
Released deal text contradicts PM Carney's earlier statement about debt repayment, showing Canada will share half of net toll revenues with a U.S.-controlled fund starting immediately.
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The proposed agreement for the Gordie Howe International Bridge confirms Canada will share half of net toll revenues with the U.S. for 15 years—contradicting Prime Minister Mark Carney's recent statement that revenue sharing would only begin after all debt is repaid.
Carney said last week that the two countries would split net revenues after operational costs for 15 years, with revenue sharing contingent on debt repayment. The deal text, posted Tuesday on the bridge's official website, makes no mention of debt repayment as a condition.
Instead, Canada's payments will flow to a United States-Canada Economic Development Fund controlled by the U.S. government. The 2012 Canada-Michigan agreement on toll sharing remains separate and unchanged, addressing long-term state-level revenue splits, while this new pact covers federal-level revenue sharing for the first 15 years.
The federal government said Tuesday it will not celebrate the bridge's opening with the U.S., citing President Donald Trump's latest tariff threats. A Canada-only celebration is planned for Friday, with the bridge set to open Monday. The disclosure follows weeks of opaque messaging and conflicting interpretations from officials on both sides about the financial terms.
By the numbers
How long will Canada share toll revenues with the U.S. on the Gordie Howe bridge?
Canada will share half of net toll revenues with the U.S. for 15 years under the proposed agreement for the Gordie Howe International Bridge.
When does revenue sharing begin under the deal?
Revenue sharing begins immediately under the deal text posted on the bridge's official website on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, not contingent on debt repayment as Prime Minister Mark Carney had stated.
When is the Gordie Howe bridge set to open?
The Gordie Howe International Bridge is set to open on Monday, July 27, 2026.
