The State of Michigan, while not a contributor financially to the bridge, is an equal partner with equal ownership. Trump "forgot" to mention that!
First proposed in the early 2000s, the project was met with prominent opposition by Ambassador Bridge owner Manuel "Matty" Moroun, who believed competition from a publicly owned bridge would reduce his revenue. A Canadian federal Crown corporation, the WindsorDetroit Bridge Authority, was established in 2012 to coordinate the bridge's construction and management. Environmental approvals and other permits were approved in the United States and Canada in the early 2010s. Lawsuits by Moroun alleged that the crossing agreement was illegal and the Ambassador Bridge had "exclusivity rights". These lawsuits were denied, along with various attempts to stop property expropriations, allowing the project to continue.
The "Bridging North America" consortium was selected in July 2018 to design, build, operate and maintain the bridge, and construction began that month. The CA$3.8 billion cost of construction will be funded by the Canadian federal government, paid for by bridge tolls. The bridge itself will be owned equally by Canada and the state of Michigan. As of February 2026, major construction of the bridge has been completed, with officials stating in October 2025 that it will not be open to traffic until "early 2026".
On February 8, 2026, United States president Donald Trump threatened to block the opening of the bridge, citing grievances regarding trade between the United States and Canada. These claims were subsequently challenged by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordie_Howe_International_Bridge#:~:text=The%20bridge%20itself%20will%20be,traffic%20until%20%22early%202026%22.
This is what neighbourly cooperation for mutual benefit looks like. And putting state interests ahead of corporate interests. Then along came Trump...