Eastern Bridge in the National Capital Region

Learn more about the steps we’re taking to plan for the new Eastern Bridge in the National Capital Region (NCR).

On this page

• Project overview 
• Project description
• Process and next steps
• Project background
• Related links

Project overview

Project description

We’re working with partners to advance planning and design of the Eastern Bridge for a population that has doubled since the last crossing, the Portage Bridge, was built in 1973 and continues to grow.

Leveraging existing roadways, the new corridor will extend from Autoroute 50 at Montée Paiement in Gatineau to Highway 417 at the Aviation Parkway in Ottawa. It’s expected to be about 12 kilometres long and will include a new interprovincial bridge. The bridge is expected to include pedestrian and cycling pathways separated from traffic, and to accommodate public transit, as well as personal and commercial vehicles.

Advantages of a new bridge

There have been many studies looking at building a new bridge between Ottawa and Gatineau. Past studies concluded that we need a new bridge to improve interprovincial transportation and mobility.

Expected project benefits include:

• efficient movement of people and goods
• reduction in truck traffic in the downtown cores
• opportunities for more direct east-end commuting
• new options for active and public transportation
• strengthened economic dynamism of the regions on both sides of the Ottawa River
• support for future regional growth

Montée Paiement–Aviation Parkway Corridor

Evidence from evaluations over the last 15 years has consistently recommended the Montée Paiement–Aviation Parkway Corridor.

In 2024, the government identified the Montée Paiement–Aviation Parkway Corridor as the preferred location due to its potential benefits and lower impacts associated with its construction and operation. As the project will use existing roadways, these include:

• lowest impacts to air quality and previously undisturbed natural environments, including less mature tree canopy
• better proximity to existing commercial properties in both municipalities, which will benefit from access to a new bridge
• faster construction timeline

Process and next steps

Following the 2024 Fall Economic Statement, which announced a commitment to the project, PSPC continues to work in close collaboration with the National Capital Commission (NCC) and the technical advisor as an integrated project team.

The project will take place in 4 stages:

Stage 1: Pre-planning

• procure technical advisory services to:
  • assist with developing design options
  • support studies and the impact assessment
  • elaborate the procurement strategy
• advance further studies and assessments, including:
  • finalizing the technical refresh of the Long-Term Integrated Interprovincial Crossings Plan based on the recent results of the Origin-Destination Survey and the Interprovincial Truck Mobility Data Collection (PDF)
  • conducting an environmental impact assessment that will be used for the project description for the impact assessment process
• engage with the public, partners and stakeholders, including municipal and provincial partners and Indigenous communities
• develop the functional requirements and the planning and design principles, which will:
  • align with the technical refresh of the Long-Term Integrated Interprovincial Crossings Plan
  • reflect updated transportation projections
  • integrate initial engagement feedback

Stage 2: Planning and design

• finalize the impact assessment and technical studies
• advance concept designs
• seek feedback from the public, Indigenous communities, partners and stakeholders
• seek approval of the preferred design concept from the NCC Board of Directors, in accordance with the National Capital Act, as part of its regulatory federal approval authority

Stage 3: Procurement 

• advance the procurement process and award contracts for the final designer and builder via competitive requests for qualifications and proposals processes

Stage 4: Final design and construction

• seek feedback from the public, Indigenous communities, partners and stakeholders
• finalize the design
• seek approval of the final design from the NCC’s Board of Directors
• build the new bridge

The project will respect the region’s natural environment and cultural heritage. The scope of the project will be refined following the results of the technical studies, assessments and engagement activities.

Engaging the public, Indigenous communities, partners and stakeholders

The integrated project team is engaging with the public, Indigenous communities, partners and stakeholders to gather input on benefits and impacts of the project, and to comment on the initial planning and design principles, which will guide the design development in future phases. This will ensure that health, environmental and socio-economic impacts are identified, studied and mitigated.

Public consultations represent a vital component of the planning process, complementing a broad range of past and forthcoming studies and reports that inform the project. The insights and feedback gathered will play a crucial role in guiding the project team on a variety of key considerations.

For information about the public consultations, visit the NCC's page about the Eastern Bridge project.

Project background

The need for an interprovincial link east of the NCR has been recognized since 1915 to unify the shores of Gatineau and Ottawa and integrate transportation and mobility. Research included:

• 1915: The Holt-Bennett plan recommended a bridge east of the Gatineau River with a network of highways
• 1950: The Greber plan (PDF) proposed a bridge east of Kettle Island to connect Ottawa and Gatineau in a federal district

In addition to these reports, the integrated project office has commissioned many studies in recent years, including:

• 2009: The NCC, in partnership with the Province of Ontario and the Province of Quebec, undertook a technical study on 10 potential corridors for a new bridge between Ottawa and Gatineau
• 2010 to 2013: The NCC, in partnership with the Province of Ontario and the Province of Quebec, continued technical studies on 3 potential eastern bridge corridors, identified in 2009 as having the most potential
• 2020: The NCC completed the refresh of the 2013 technical study (PDF) on the 3 same corridors
• 2019 to 2024: PSPC and the NCC refreshed studies with data updated by the:
  • revised Long-Term Integrated Interprovincial Crossings Plan, which considered new information from the:
    • Origin-Destination Survey
    • Interprovincial Truck Mobility Data Collection (PDF)
  • geotechnical study
• 2024: The Government of Canada authorized further studies on the Montée Paiement–Aviation Parkway Corridor, and announced its commitment to an additional multimodal bridge over the Ottawa River in the Fall Economic Statement

Related links

• A first eastern bridge in the National Capital Region
• Available studies and reports: Eastern Bridge in the National Capital Region
• Request for Proposal for a technical advisor
• Improving transportation and mobility in the National Capital Region
• Lane reductions and closures on interprovincial bridges in the National Capital Region