Federal government awards over $10 million for the design of Kettle Island bridge

Corridor 5, also known as the Kettle Island bridge or eastern bridge, is a proposed sixth interprovincial bridge. (National Capital Commission map)

The federal government has hired a Canadian joint venture to work on the design of the Kettle Island bridge, which will be built over the Ottawa River to connect Ottawa and Gatineau.

The government said in a news release Thursday that the eastern bridge project will receive professional services from the joint venture, consisting of Parsons Inc. and Stantec Consulting Ltd., as part of a contract costing $10,605,248, excluding applicable taxes. The contract was announced by Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Quebec Lieutenant Jean-Yves Duclos.

“Our government is committed to improving interprovincial mobility in the National Capital Region. The eastern bridge will not only help improve transportation on both sides of the Ottawa River, but it will also stimulate economic growth for generations to come,” said Duclos.

Specialized services in technical areas, and economic and environmental assessments will be provided by the joint venture’s professional advisors. The joint venture will also provide a design that reflects “industry best-practice solutions and efficiencies.”

To minimize the impact on the community and the environment, public consultations will be held throughout the process, says the government.

“The Government of Canada, responsible for managing interprovincial bridges and crossings, is managing this project while working with the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada and its provincial and municipal partners,” reads the release.

In December 2024, the government announced its commitment to building a new bridge over the Ottawa River to connect Ottawa and Gatineau, reviving a controversial proposal that faced major public backlash more than 10 years ago. The interprovincial bridge would cross Kettle Island in the Ottawa River to connect the Aviation Parkway in Ottawa to Montée Paiement in Gatineau.

A National Capital Commission report into truck traffic, released in 2024, said approximately 3,500 trucks cross the Ottawa River in the National Capital Region on a typical weekday, with 72 per cent of those trucks using the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge.

With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Ted Raymond