Gordie Howe International Bridge report shows how Ottawa shirks accountability for major projects
The federal government destroyed cost records for the Gordie Howe International Bridge project, citing standard seven-year retention policies. Critics argue this practice undermines transparency and accountability for major national infrastructure projects.
Why it matters
It highlights concerns regarding government transparency and the adequacy of record-keeping policies for multi-billion dollar public infrastructure investments.
A drone view shows a vehicle crossing the $4.7-billion Gordie Howe International Bridge, connecting Windsor, Ont., and Detroit on Tuesday. Carlos Osorio/Reuters
The federal government destroyed some cost records for the Gordie Howe International Bridge long before it opened to traffic this week – a purge that was entirely legal but raises questions about Ottawa’s accountability for major projects.
A footnote in the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority‘s 2024-25 annual report reveals there are “excluded costs” for the $6.4-billion span connecting Windsor, Ont., and Detroit.
The disclosure, which cites the federal government’s data destruction practices, evokes the possibility that other pertinent records for this bridge may have been destroyed in Ottawa’s most recently completed and current fiscal years.
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