The owner of the Ambassador Bridge, Matthew Moroun, from the United States, requested a meeting with senior officials from the Canadian government in relation to the new Gordie Howe International Bridge approximately three and a half months prior to the opening of the competing bridge. However, details of the discussions held during the meeting remain undisclosed.
Revealed through federal briefing notes acquired under the Access to Information Act, the meeting on April 7 involved Moroun, accompanied by Kevin Kalczynski, a senior legal representative of the family’s businesses, and Brennan Lee, a senior financial executive and Moroun’s son-in-law. On the Canadian side, the meeting included Paul Halucha, Deputy Minister of Housing Infrastructure and Communities Canada, Marco Presutti, Assistant Deputy Minister, and Jesse Tracey, a senior lawyer from the federal government.
Although it was Moroun who initiated the meeting, specific parts of the agenda and the government’s perspective on the meeting were redacted from the documents. Despite attempts by CBC News to obtain Moroun’s version of the meeting’s discussions and objectives from the Canadian officials, no response was received before publication.
The stakes were high as the new Gordie Howe bridge was predicted to divert nearly half of the Ambassador Bridge’s traffic, according to U.S. government estimates. The Ambassador Bridge alone played a significant role in trade, handling over $140 billion in merchandise trade in 2021, equivalent to about $390 million daily and accommodating 26% of Canada’s road exports, as reported by Transport Canada.
The Canadian government had a vested interest in the meeting, aiming to address the mounting pressure, particularly from the White House, to expedite the opening of the $6.4 billion Gordie Howe bridge. The briefing materials for Halucha outlined his role in the meeting as focused on listening to Moroun’s perspectives on corridor operations and resolving outstanding issues as the new bridge neared its operational phase.
The involvement of a private owner, as highlighted by Laurie Trautman, Director of the Border Policy Research Institute at Western Washington University, introduced a unique dynamic to the management of an international border crossing, emphasizing profit motives over trade efficiency. This uncommon scenario of a privately owned international crossing alongside a publicly owned competitor raised concerns about transparency amid strained relations between Canada and the United States.
Discussions with private bridge owners facilitating trade to Canada were acknowledged as routine by Housing Infrastructure and Communities Canada. The department emphasized continuous engagement through various channels with international bridge owners to bolster vital trade corridors generating economic activity on both sides of the border.
Following the meeting, a federal briefing note dated April 24 indicated Moroun’s acknowledgment of the Gordie Howe bridge proceeding to opening, signaling a shift in the competitive landscape. Subsequently, the Ambassador Bridge announced toll rate reductions for specific users, positioning them slightly below those intended for the Gordie Howe International Bridge users.
The presence of a new publicly owned competitor posed a significant challenge for the older, smaller, and less accessible Ambassador Bridge, necessitating a shift in strategies to protect the family business. The Moroun family’s longstanding efforts to safeguard the Ambassador Bridge from competing crossings involved strategic land acquisitions and extensive legal challenges over the years.
The alignment between the Morouns and the Trump administration, characterized by shared opposition to publicly owned competition, reflected a convergence of interests under the “America First” agenda. Despite potential disruptions to cross-border trade, the political dynamics highlighted a mutual focus on national interests and business protection.
