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The CEO of the Windsor Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA) has resigned and the bridge authority has a new interim CEO.
Charl van Niekerk’s departure happened mere weeks before U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to block the opening of the new Gordie Howe bridge connecting Windsor, Ont., and Detroit.
According to van Niekerk, his plan was always “to depart at some point post construction,” originally planned toward the end of 2026.
“My departure was slightly accelerated due to personal reasons: My home and family are in Toronto, and as you can imagine, it is not feasible to totally relocate a family to a different city for a limited term contract,” van Niekerk said in a written statement to CBC Windsor.
He joined the WDBA in July 2023 as CEO.
Noting that he was commuting weekly to Windsor to manage the program, and being away from his then five-year old son during the week, the former CEO said this “became a sacrifice that was too much to manage.”
“These are the formative years, and I want to be more engaged,” he said.
Van Niekerk’s public LinkedIn profile shows that he’s been working at Metrolinx — a transportation agency in Ontario — since January. He said his new role was a return to provincial public service and closer to home.
WDBA’s website lists new interim CEO
The website currently lists Chuck Andary as interim CEO and chief legal officer.
CBC News has reached out to the WDBA and the federal government for comment.
Trump has threatened to block the opening of the more than $6-billion Gordie Howe Bridge that the Canadian government paid for in full, further inflaming tensions between the two countries.
Democrats in Washington have launched a probe into the circumstances around Trump’s threat.
Created in 2012, the WDBA is a not-for-profit Crown corporation which reports to Parliament through the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Pacific Economic Development Canada, according to its website.