The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) is celebrating the imminent opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, calling it a transformative project for cross-border freight movement and North American supply chains.

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced June 9 that an official ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place this week ahead of the bridge opening, which will provide a new commercial crossing between Windsor, Ont., and Detroit.

“What happens at this border impacts every kitchen table and factory floor in the country,” said Stephen Laskowski, president and CEO of the CTA. “This historic milestone brings North American supply chains one step closer to a new era of efficiency.”

Laskowski described the bridge as “a vital, modern economic lifeline” for trucking operations moving freight between Canada and the United States.

The bridge’s most significant advantage for truckers will be its direct connection between Highway 401 and Interstate 75. Unlike the Ambassador Bridge, commercial vehicles will no longer have to navigate traffic signals and urban congestion along Huron Church Road before reaching the border.

CTA says the highway-to-highway connection will reduce delays, fuel consumption, idling and vehicle wear while improving trip times and reliability.

The alliance also highlighted the bridge’s modern inspection facilities, which feature advanced screening technology designed to improve security while reducing processing times for legitimate commercial traffic.

CTA noted the bridge’s introductory toll structure will also make it an attractive option for fleets. Commercial tolls will be set at $12 per axle, with discounted rates of $9.60 per axle available through the bridge’s Breakaway account program.

According to the CTA, carriers could realize monthly savings ranging from $20,000 to $100,000, depending on fleet size and crossing frequency.

The opening comes as commercial traffic volumes continue to place pressure on existing border infrastructure. CTA noted that the Blue Water Bridge in Sarnia handled more than 2.1 million commercial truck crossings in 2025, surpassing the Ambassador Bridge for the first time. The Ambassador Bridge still processed approximately 1.8 million to 1.9 million truck crossings during the year.

CTA believes the addition of a third major commercial crossing in the Ontario-Michigan corridor will improve supply chain resilience by distributing traffic across multiple gateways.

The Windsor-Detroit corridor handles roughly one-quarter of all Canada-U.S. trade, valued at more than $390 million per day, according to CTA. Much of that freight consists of U.S. exports destined for Canadian manufacturers and consumers.

“The opening of this bridge is phenomenal news for American businesses that rely heavily on selling their goods into Canada,” Laskowski said. “By removing severe border bottlenecks and smoothing out regional transit loops, this infrastructure injects unmatched stability and predictability into cross-border logistics.”