Decades of studies, debating on where to put it and if it’s possible has led the federal government to start the planning work for a new bridge east of downtown Ottawa.
In a press conference in Gatineau, Steven MacKinnon, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, said the government will move forward on plans to make an interprovincial bridge over Kettle Island between Montée Paiement and Aviation Parkway, right by the Rockcliffe airport.
The next steps of the project will include an impact study, the design, and a procurement strategy. The bridge is set to start construction between 2032 and 2034, depending on the assessments.
“This bridge won’t be without controversy, no infrastructure project is,” MacKinnon said. “What we need to reassure people is that it will solve many, many, many more problems than it will create.”
He also said it will have an “incredible” impact on the cities but will be done with “sensitivity” to regions and neighbourhoods in the area.
“We’ve all seen the double-sacked logging trucks rumbling by the Shepherds of Good Hope and all recoiled of that very thought, for too long we have chosen to not solve that problem,” the minister said.
MacKinnon explained how the view of the 3,500 tractor-trailers going through downtown daily not only hinders people from enjoying the nation’s capital and Gatineau but also impacts business.
He called this a “real shame” for a G7 capital and a “major blight.”
When built, it will be the sixth bridge to connect the nation’s capital to Gatineau serving as an integral part of the Ontario-Quebec road network and help address congestion issues on the other bridges. Due to the choice of where the bridge will be built, officials said it is the smallest link over the river, meaning the planning schedule and businesses on both sides will likely benefit from its access point.
This bridge will allow heavy trucks, usually going through downtown across the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge, to have a different way through with a specific freight lane on the eastern bridge.
Officials said the bridge will be a “key” part in the movement of goods, tourism and an economic benefit to both provinces.
“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 of the National Capital Commission.
History of the debate
It has been more than 100 years since the Bennett-Holt Plan recommended a bridge in eastern Ottawa that connects to Gatineau along the highway network. Decades later in 1950 the idea of a bridge over Kettle Island is suggested.
The first time the idea of the bridge was seriously discussed was in 2009 when the provinces of Ontario and Quebec and the NCC did a technical study, which found 10 possible sites.
In 2013 more studies narrowed the possibilities down to three which included:
- Montée Paiement to Aviation Parkway (known as Kettle Island)
- Lower Duck Island
- McLaurin Bay
By 2024 the government started more specific studies on the Montée Paiement to Aviation Parkway corridor. The key point is to divert truck traffic away from downtown and address congestion through peak travel times. The bridge will include a pathway for public transit and a cycle or walking lane.