Vehicles began crossing the Gordie Howe International Bridge between Windsor, Ont., and Detroit on Monday morning after its opening was delayed for months due to strained Canada-U.S. trade relations.

The hockey icon’s family members were the first to traverse the state-of-the-art bridge that has become a symbol of heightened Canada-U.S. trade tensions. Questions remained right up to Monday morning whether vehicle and goods flow would commence as expected.

The U.S. government imposed new minimum 10% tariffs on imports from Canada and 59 other economies on Friday, citing the products’ ties to forced labour. Some of the duties could be as high as 12.5%, depending on the trading partners involved.

The Canadian government uninvited U.S. officials from the bridge’s opening ceremony the same day after Trump threatened earlier in the week to impose new 50% tariffs on imports from Canada, including those previously covered by the Canada-US-Mexico Agreement.

The toll bridge’s opening to traffic was delayed after Canada and the U.S. bickered over the distribution of the tolls’ revenues. The two countries have since come to an agreement on toll distributions but provided contradicting statements on the terms of the deal.

Canada is covering the costs of the bridge’s construction. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has indicated that Ottawa will receive toll revenues after Canada’s construction costs have been covered, but the Trump administration claims that it will receive revenues earlier.

Pictured: New Gordie Howe International Bridge between Windsor, Ont., and Detroit.

Photo: Gordie Howe Bridge