Canada held a ceremony to mark the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge without US representatives, after escalating trade tensions led Ottawa to cancel a planned joint event. President Donald Trump said he was “fine” with Canada’s decision, highlighting how tariff disputes have overshadowed a major shared infrastructure project intended to improve cross-border links.

The six-lane bridge connects Windsor, Ontario, with Detroit, Michigan, and is due to open to traffic on 27 July. Canada financed the multibillion-dollar project; a recent agreement provides for Canada to share toll revenue with the US government for 15 years, while Trump had threatened tariffs of 50 per cent on most Canadian goods.