Windsor Truck Traffic Surges as Gordie Howe Bridge Opening Remains in Limbo
Truck traffic between Windsor and Detroit is rebounding sharply after years of decline, offering a rare note of optimism for Ontario’s manufacturing sector — even as the opening of the long-awaited Gordie Howe International Bridge remains stalled by U.S.-Canada trade tensions.
A Sharp Reversal After Two Years of Decline
New preliminary data from Statistics Canada show the number of trucks entering Canada through Windsor in May jumped more than 20 per cent compared with the same month last year.
That marked the second consecutive month of double-digit annual increases — a significant turnaround following 25 straight months of year-over-year declines at the crossing.
Despite the rebound, crossings in May remained 18 per cent below 2023 levels, suggesting the new bridge will still face subdued demand whenever it eventually opens.
Bridge Opening Delayed Amid Trade Standoff
The $6.4-billion bridge’s opening date is now uncertain. Chuck Andary, interim chief executive officer of the bridge authority, said in a statement Thursday that the opening has been delayed while Canada and the United States take “the necessary time to resolve any outstanding issues.”
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Mark Carney said the bridge would open on Friday — a claim he later walked back after the White House signalled that President Donald Trump intends to block the opening in order to extract trade concessions from Canada.
Broader Signs of Manufacturing Recovery in Ontario
The trucking rebound aligns with other tentative signs of improvement in Ontario’s economy, despite ongoing uncertainty caused by U.S. tariffs.
Together, the figures point to a manufacturing sector showing resilience, even as the political uncertainty surrounding the new Windsor crossing continues to cloud the economic outlook for the region.
