A first eastern bridge in the National Capital Region

A multimodal bridge to improve transportation and connectivity in the region by 2032 or 2034

GATINEAU, QC, Jan. 30, 2025 /CNW/ - In its 2024 Fall Economic Statement, the Government of Canada reiterated its commitment to building a multimodal bridge in the eastern part of the National Capital Region to optimize public transit networks, reduce truck traffic in congested downtown areas, stimulate economic growth in Gatineau and Ottawa, speed up commutes and improve the safety of active transportation.

Today, the Honourable Steven MacKinnon, member of Parliament for Gatineau and Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Quebec Lieutenant, and joined by Maryse Gaudreault, Chairperson for the National Capital Commission (NCC), announced that the integrated project office, consisting of Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), the NCC and a technical advisor, will proceed with pre-planning work. The next steps include the impact study, the design, the preliminary preparation of the site located on the corridor between the Montée Paiement and the Aviation Parkway, and the development of a procurement strategy. This new interprovincial crossing could be built between 2032 and 2034, depending on the impact assessment process and the construction program approach. The Eastern Bridge is part of a forward-looking vision to improve interprovincial transportation mobility and connectivity, meeting the needs of the region's growing population.

Because the project will build on existing roads, the Montée Paiement–Aviation Parkway Corridor has the smallest link footprint, and offers a faster planning schedule and better proximity to existing commercial properties on both sides of the Ottawa River, which will benefit from access to the Eastern Bridge. Residents will have access to diversified mobility options tailored to their needs, including public and active transport to improve connectivity.

Currently, the lack of a direct link between Ontario highways and interprovincial bridges forces heavy trucks to travel through downtown Ottawa, causing congestion, noise and safety risks. By providing a new freight lane, the Eastern Bridge could significantly reduce the 13,000 heavy trucks that pass through downtown Ottawa and Gatineau each week.

To proceed with the next planning and design activities for the bridge, a request for proposals for the professional services of a technical advisor was published on December 31, 2024. The technical advisor will support the development of the procurement strategy for the Eastern Bridge project. Interested firms are invited to respond to the Request for Proposals.

Public consultations will be held to gather the comments of citizens, Indigenous communities and stakeholders, to ensure harmonious development while minimizing the impact on communities. The Government of Canada, responsible for managing interprovincial bridges and crossings, is managing this project with its provincial and municipal partners.

Quotes

"This is a great day for the people of Gatineau and the Outaouais. Today, the Government of Canada is taking concrete action to improve interprovincial mobility from east to west in the National Capital Region. The announcement demonstrates our commitment to regional mobility, following our massive investments in the electrification of public transit in Ottawa and Gatineau, the replacement of the Alexandra Bridge, the introduction of the Rapibus and the O-Train, and the planning of the tramway project in the west end of the city of Gatineau. The Eastern Bridge will promote the development of the La Cité development pole, in line with the City of Gatineau's densification objectives around its main public transit and active transportation routes."

The Honourable Steven MacKinnon
Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Member of Parliament for Gatineau and Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour

"The NCC is proud to support the Government of Canada in the advancement of this major project, which reflects the evolution of the National Capital Region and will strengthen the dynamism of the communities on both sides of the Ottawa River."

Maryse Gaudreault
Chairperson, National Capital Commission

"Investments in infrastructure are critical to supporting our region's growth now and for years to come. The Eastern Bridge will significantly reduce the number of heavy trucks passing through downtown Ottawa, alleviating concerns around congestion, noise, and safety risks to vulnerable communities. At the same time, the Bridge will boost economic revitalisation of our downtown core and support the economic development of our city."

The Honourable Jenna Sudds
Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

Quick facts

• 3,500 trucks cross the Ottawa River every day, and 72% of them use the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge (Interprovincial Truck Mobility Data Collection in the National Capital Region - National Capital Commission).
• 67% of heavy trucks travelling on the KERWN corridor (current King-Edward corridor) have an origin or destination outside the immediate area (Interprovincial Truck Mobility Data Collection in the National Capital Region - National Capital Commission).
• More than 75% of trucks use a route partly to the east of the river (Interprovincial Truck Mobility Data Collection in the National Capital Region - National Capital Commission).
• The Eastern Bridge project is part of Gatineau's urban development plan (p. 5-101). The Montée Paiement right-of-way is still reserved as a transit zone for a future bridge in the Montée Paiement–Aviation Parkway Corridor (Schéma d'aménagement et de développement révisé - Ville de Gatineau, available in French only).
• Morning rush-hour congestion is expected to increase by 53% from 2011 to 2050 (Long-Term Integrated Interprovincial Crossings Plan in the National Capital Region - National Capital Commission).
• All interprovincial links between Gatineau and Ottawa are at or near maximum capacity, particularly the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge, which is crossed by an average of 70,000 vehicles daily (2023).
• In 2009, the NCC, in partnership with the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, undertook a technical study of 10 potential corridors in the National Capital Region.
• In 2013, technical studies were undertaken on the 3 highest ranked potential corridors:
  • Montée Paiement to Aviation Parkway (Corridor 5)
  • Lower Duck Island (Corridor 6)
  • McLaurin Bay (corridor 7)
    These studies revealed that Corridor 5 is the most advantageous.
• From 2019 to 2024, PSPC and the NCC updated the technical studies on these corridors. The studies showed that the Montée Paiement–Aviation Parkway Corridor remains the most advantageous.

Associated links

Eastern Bridge in the National Capital Region
Long-term Integrated Interprovincial Crossings Plan
Interprovincial Truck Mobility Data Collection in the National Capital Region – June 2024
Fall 2024 Economic Statement
Backgrounder: An Interprovincial Link Expected for Over 100 Years in the National Capital Region 

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SOURCE Public Services and Procurement Canada

Contacts: Guillaume Bertrand, Director of Communications, Office of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos and Quebec Lieutenant, [phone], [email protected]; Media Relations, Public Services and Procurement Canada, 819-420-5501, [email protected]