Ottawa has held talks to buy the Ambassador Bridge from Michigan billionaire Manuel (Matty) Moroun in hopes of breaking an impasse over the best way to improve the flow of trade along the busy Windsor-Detroit corridor.
Three meetings were held last year between high-ranking officials from the Canadian government and representatives of Mr. Moroun, who owns the 80-year-old bridge that spans the Detroit River, an industry insider said Monday.
The insider said the last gathering broke off in late 2009 without any agreement, and the two sides remain far apart on the valuation of the Ambassador Bridge, which is North America's busiest commercial crossing.
Ottawa is exploring the possibility of buying the bridge, but also the possibility of having a competing crossing built. Mr. Moroun, 82, is opposed to plans by a group called the Detroit River International Crossing, or DRIC, comprising the governments of Ontario, Canada, Michigan and the United States. Along with private-sector participation, DRIC wants to build a new bridge located southwest of the existing Ambassador Bridge.
Mr. Moroun has complained that a competing bridge will siphon revenue away from his privately run operation. An industry source said the Canadian government wants to review the Ambassador Bridge's accounting records, but so far, there has been no breakthrough to open the books.
Mr. Moroun wants to twin his bridge, placing him on a collision course with the governments.
Transport Canada spokesman Mark Butler confirmed that Ottawa has had negotiations with officials from the Ambassador Bridge, though he declined to give details of those discussions.
“The government of Canada remains committed to the building of a new bridge between Windsor and Detroit,” Mr. Butler said. “The bi-national partnership believes that additional capacity is needed along this critical trade corridor to support the anticipated growth in border traffic.”
Any new government-backed bridge is expected to cost at least $2-billion. “The government of Canada continues to work closely with the state of Michigan and the U.S. government on the DRIC project,” Mr. Butler said.
Goods worth an estimated $150-billion, or one-quarter of the annual merchandise trade between Canada and the United States, flow across the Ambassador Bridge.
