The public can now have their say on a proposed new bridge to link Ottawa and Gatineau, as federal officials begin the next stage of planning for the debated Eastern Bridge Project. The proposed crossing would be located east of the downtown core, connecting the Aviation Parkway in Ottawa with Montée-Paiement in Gatineau. The project would see a two-kilometre bridge built across the Ottawa River, along with roughly nine kilometres of changes to existing roads and intersections. The corridor would run from Highway 417 in Ottawa to autoroute 50 in Gatineau and would be designed to accommodate cars, commercial vehicles, public transit, cyclists and pedestrians. Federal officials say the crossing is intended to reduce traffic congestion, improve travel times and provide a more direct route for trips between the two cities. The project has also been touted as a way to decrease the amount of commercial truck traffic travelling through Ottawa’s downtown core. But for residents living near the proposed route, the potential impact of the project remains a concern. “Obviously, we don’t know what the impact is going to be in terms of the noise and pollution,” says Steve Haley, who lives just steps from the Aviation Parkway, near where the proposed bridge corridor would run. “Generally speaking, the whole idea of trying to reroute traffic from downtown makes sense, but just kind of pushing it a few kilometres down into a residential neighbourhood just doesn’t seem to make sense. I guess I’m still looking for what’s the big picture to ultimately solve the underlying problem. I don’t think just running other bridges that just runs connects to the Queensway is going to do it.” The concerns echo those raised by the Manor Park Community Association, whose president, Natalie Belovic, has questioned whether the project is the right solution for current transportation challenges. “We’re looking for a 1950 solution to a 2026 problem,” Belovic said previously. The association has also raised questions about how traffic would connect to existing roads and how vehicles and trucks would be distributed through the east end. The project team has been meeting with potentially affected organizations and institutions along the proposed corridor, including Montfort Hospital, the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, the RCMP Musical Ride, Collège La Cité, the Rockcliffe Flying Club and Library and Archives Canada. Those discussions have raised concerns about issues including emergency access, traffic capacity, noise and vibration, environmental impacts and access to existing facilities. The federal government has set aside $221 million for the pre-construction phase. If the project proceeds as planned, construction is slated to begin in 2031, with completion expected in 2035. The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada opened a public consultation on Sept. 1, asking the public to review the initial project and provide feedback. The deadline for public comments is Oct. 9, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Information about the consultation, including how to submit comments, and upcoming virtual information sessions, is available through the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada’s Eastern Bridge Project page.
