The Metro: The Gordie Howe Bridge is cheaper to cross. The cargo is about to cost more
Cheaper toll fees with the Gordie Howe Bridge won’t wipe out the upcoming 50% tariff on Canadian goods. Small business advisor Mark Lee explains what this means for Michiganders.
A truck is parked during a Canadian celebration marking the Gordie Howe International Bridge, which connects Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, on Friday, July 24, 2026, in Windsor, Ontario.
For the first time, truckers running between Detroit and Windsor have a choice of bridges — and the two crossings are competing for that business.
A semi pays about half as much to cross the new Gordie Howe Bridge as it does the Ambassador: roughly $35, versus $75.
But that’s a toll — what you pay to drive across. It has nothing to do with what is in the truck, and what is in the truck is about to get expensive.
On Aug. 19, an additional 50% tariff is set to hit a long list of Canadian goods, among them wine, dairy, cement and hockey sticks. In other words, a business might save $40 getting a load across the river, then pay thousands more for the load itself.
So who actually comes out ahead here?
Mark Lee runs The Lee Group, where he has advised small businesses in this region for nearly 20 years. He joins host Robyn Vincent to talk tolls, tariffs, Delray, and whether Canadian visitors are coming back.
Hear the full conversation using the media player above.
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