Gatineau – 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.
Steven MacKinnon, member of Parliament for Gatineau and Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, on behalf of 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.
“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.” – Steven MacKinnon, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Member of Parliament for Gatineau and Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour