Canada on Friday opened a new border bridge with the United States in a brief ceremony without US participation, after the joint ceremony was canceled following Washington's announcement on Monday of new tariffs on several Canadian products.

Canadian Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Gregor Robertson said at the foot of the structure, which is scheduled to open to traffic on July 27: 'This bridge is a testament to what we can achieve when we work together.'

US President Donald Trump noted on Friday in a post on his Truth Social platform that 'Canada withdrew the invitation to the United States to open the Gordie Howe Bridge. That's fine, considering it pays the US exorbitant tariffs.'

The ceremony, held before a crowd of Canadian invitees, capped a week of tensions between Canada and the United States. Following the announcement of new US tariffs on Monday, Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was considering 'all options' on how to respond 'if they come into effect.'

Canada's Conservative opposition criticized Carney's government for signing new trade agreements, after the publication of a preliminary draft agreement on the bridge on Tuesday, considered very favorable to the US side.

In particular, the terms of the preliminary draft agreement stipulate that Canada pay amounts equivalent to 50 percent of the net revenue generated by the bridge for 15 years.

Trump said on Friday: 'We changed the terms of the agreement' accordingly, according to AFP.

Carney defended the agreement before journalists on Thursday, saying: 'It is a good agreement,' and stressed that the original agreement signed in 2012, which stipulates no sharing of toll revenue until Canada's debt is paid, 'remains in effect.'

The financial management of the bridge was a point of contention between Canada and the United States. In February, Trump considered that its ownership should be 'at least half' for the United States, noting that Canada financed the work.

The opening date of the bridge, named after Gordie Howe, the Canadian hockey legend, remained uncertain until it was finally confirmed on July 11.

The bridge is about 2.5 kilometers long, connecting Windsor, Ontario, to Detroit, Michigan. Construction began in 2018 at a total cost of 6.4 billion Canadian dollars (about 4 billion euros).

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