The new bridge – also known as the New International Trade Crossing (NITC) – will link the two countries.
Canada’s minister of transport Lisa Raitt announced the new agreement, saying: "I am pleased to confirm that following significant discussions with the United States and Michigan, Canada has now signed an arrangement to ensure that the new publicly-owned bridge between Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan can proceed without further delay."
Funding for the project has been under discussion for a number of years. The scheme received its final approval last summer (link opens in new tab).
Under the terms of the new arrangement, the US inspection plaza will now be procured as part of the public-private partnership that will design, finance, construct, operate and maintain the bridge.
“This arrangement is good for Canada and for Canadians,” said Raitt. “It ensures that all the elements of the project will ultimately be delivered through a public-private partnership. It also allows Canada and Michigan to move the project forward immediately to its next steps which include further design work and property acquisition on the US side of the border."
