Masse says sources point to Friday ceremony ahead of expected Monday opening

Early reports indicate that a ribbon cutting at Canada's newest international border crossing could happen as early as Friday, CTV Windsor's Robert Lothian expl

A longtime advocate for a second Detroit River border crossing says a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Gordie Howe International Bridge could take place later this week.

Brian Masse, the former Windsor West MP who spent decades championing the project, told CTV News he has learned through two sources familiar with the planning process that organizers are preparing for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday.

“There’s still some speculation about a Monday opening, but Friday appears to be the intended date for the ribbon cutting, with Monday potentially being for public access,” he said.

The Detroit News has reported that the bridge is expected to officially open Monday, citing sources familiar with the plans.

For Masse, the milestone marks the culmination of a project that has been discussed for more than three decades. References to a new border crossing date back to the 1990s, he noted.

“We really should have been cutting the ribbon on this many years ago,” he said.

The $6.4-billion project has faced numerous political, legal and logistical challenges since it was first proposed, contributing to a lengthy development timeline.

Masse said the bridge’s primary purpose, diverting heavy commercial traffic away from residential neighbourhoods, has often been overlooked amid debates over costs and construction delays.

Now, potentially just days from opening, he believes Windsor will finally have the bridge it “deserves”

“Putting up with congestion, traffic, pollution, the consequences of bad urban planning, being ripped off from having to pay for some of this infrastructure for decades upon decades upon decades is all part of this in terms of making our city beautiful, a good place to live in, a good place for a future,” he said.

CTV News reached out to the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA) regarding reports of a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a possible opening date.

“The project team is progressing well toward a spring opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, which will be a vital economic link between the two countries,” said Tara Carson, spokesperson for the WDBA. “Additional details will be shared in the coming days.”

Construction on the bridge began in 2018. Once open, it will serve as a major trade and transportation corridor connecting Windsor and Detroit.