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WINDSOR, ONT. – The Labourers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) Canada has issued a strong statement in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to shut down the Gordie Howe Bridge.

“This bridge was built by LIUNA members, highly skilled union labourers and building trade workers who have spent generations building the backbone of North America’s economy on both sides of the border,” the union’s statement reads.

“It was not built to advantage one country over another. It was built to protect jobs, secure supply chains, and keep trade moving between two economies that are already deeply intertwined. American workers benefit. Canadian workers benefit. Communities on both sides benefit.”

In a social media post late Monday, Trump insisted the U.S. must be compensated before he’ll allow the bridge to open. He claimed the bridge was built with virtually no U.S. content.

Prime Minister Mark Carney said he explained to Trump in a call “that Canada paid for construction of the bridge — $4 billion — that the ownership is shared between the state of Michigan and the Government of Canada.”

The prime minister said he also told Trump that Canadian and American steel and workers were involved in the bridge’s construction.

For LIUNA: “Cross-border infrastructure is not exploitation. It is a shared investment that reduces congestion, strengthens industrial competitiveness, and improves reliability for businesses that depend on the Great Lakes trade corridor.

“LIUNA members know this because we build it…Undermining that co-operation undermines workers first. This bridge stands on both sides, just like the men and women who built it, and just like the economic return it delivers. That’s not taking advantage. That’s how allies build strength, security and shared prosperity.”

While no official date has been set, after more than six years of construction the $6.4 billion Gordie Howe International Bridge was supposed to open “early this year,” officials told the Daily Commercial News in November.

— With files from The Canadian Press