Canada opens largest border bridge amid trade dispute with U.S.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) on Friday highlighted the strategic importance of the newly constructed Gordie Howe International Bridge port of entry, as Canada held a solo ceremony to mark the milestone crossing amid escalating trade tensions with the United States, reported Xinhua.

Connecting Windsor, Ontario, to Detroit, Michigan, the bridge is Canada's newest, largest, and most technologically advanced land border crossing, according to the CBSA.

It brings the total number of Canadian land border ports of entry to 118, joining the Ambassador Bridge and the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel in serving North America's busiest trade corridor, the agency said in a release published on its website.

The Windsor-Detroit gateway carries approximately 30 percent of Canada-U.S. truck trade, moving more than 274 million Canadian dollars (around 194 million U.S. dollars) in goods daily, said the CBSA.

The new 24/7 high-capacity facility features 24 primary inspection lanes, 12 commercial secondary examination docks, two fully enclosed commercial examination bays, and modern detection tools, according to the agency.

The bridge opening ceremony came against the backdrop of a sharp trade rift between Ottawa and Washington. Canadian officials held a Canada-only celebration on Friday after canceling a planned joint ribbon-cutting ceremony with U.S. representatives.

Ottawa cited U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement earlier this week to impose 50 percent tariffs on billions of dollars worth of Canadian goods as the reason for calling off the joint celebration event.

In response, Trump posted on social media on Friday that Canada had "disinvited" the United States from the opening event, adding that it was "fine, considering they are paying substantial TARIFFS to the United States."

Trump claimed that "the original Deal on the Bridge, which was terribly negotiated by a previous Administration, no longer stands," asserting that the terms were changed so that the United States gets 50 percent of the profits.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday that his government will do "whatever it takes" to defend its national interests, noting that all options for retaliatory measures remain on the table if Washington implements the new tariff threats.

The bridge will officially open to traffic on July 27.