WINDSOR, Ont. — The government of Canada unequivocally reaffirmed its commitment to build a publicly controlled international bridge across Windsor and Detroit while dismissing ongoing plans by the private Ambassador Bridge Company to twin its span. 

Federal transportation minister John Baird didn’t mince words when speaking on long-held plans by Canadian and U.S. officials to build a second bridge downriver. "This bridge will be built," Baird told an audience of the International Multimodal Conference in Windsor.

According to the Windsor Star, Baird said Ottawa is doing everything it can to move the project "forward quickly," adding the beleaguered auto industry-dependant region can’t afford further delays.

The new bridge — which is being studied by the binational Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) team — is expected to span the Detroit River between the industrial Brighton Beach area in Windsor and Zug Island near Detroit. 

While cross-border truck traffic has dipped in response to soft North American automotive demand, Baird believes trade is still headed one way — up — and traffic will grow again when the economy rebounds.

Asked about the Ambassador’s twin span proposal, Baird responded: "I don’t think it works for the community’s best interests," adding that the DRIC project does a much better job of reducing truck congestion in Windsor neighborhoods.

"We just need to get it over the finish line and we (U.S. and Canadian government officials) all committed to work together to do that," Baird said.

Bridge company president Dan Stamper told the Star that Baird’s comments wouldn’t deter the company’s twin span construction project.

Stamper said that the company’s proposal was unfairly ruled out by DRIC in 2005. It has threatened to sue DRIC ever since; and Stamper says the bridge company is still not taking its legal options off of the table.

An official announcement that offers details on the new bridge project is expected in about three weeks.