A new report from the National Capital Commission (NCC) has identified a clear priority for residents on both sides of the Ottawa River regarding a potential new interprovincial bridge: getting heavy trucks out of the downtown core.
Public Consultation Highlights Key Priorities
The findings come from the first round of public consultation on the latest plans for a sixth bridge linking Ottawa and Gatineau, which would span the Ottawa River at Kettle Island. The proposed connection would link Ottawa's Aviation Parkway to Gatineau's Montée Paiement.
In an online survey that garnered 5,113 responses, a significant 38.5 percent of participants listed reducing truck traffic as the most important potential benefit of the new bridge. This issue was the top choice for residents in both Ontario and Quebec by a wide margin.
Other potential benefits, like shortening commute times and improving public transit options, ranked a distant second and third in the survey results.
A Decades-Long and Divisive Proposal
Plans for a bridge at the Kettle Island location have a long and turbulent history, dating back to the 1990s. Proposals have been developed, shelved, and revived multiple times. The current effort gained formal traction when it was included in the federal government's 2024 fall economic statement.
The issue remains deeply contentious. In 2012, east-end politicians and residents successfully opposed an NCC attempt to revive the bridge plan. The federal government asked the NCC to reconsider the idea again in 2019, leading to geotechnical studies in 2022 and the hiring of technical advisors.
Local political representation is split. Ottawa-Vanier-Gloucester MP Mona Fortier opposes the current proposal, while Gatineau MP Steven MacKinnon is a vocal supporter. Community groups are similarly divided, with some championing the bridge's potential to clear trucks from downtown streets and others worried it would simply divert traffic problems to other neighbourhoods.
Trucks, Traffic, and Next Steps
The survey confirmed that truck traffic is a major concern. An NCC study indicates roughly 3,500 trucks cross the Ottawa River daily, with 72 percent using the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge into Ottawa's Lowertown.
However, the top concern raised by survey respondents about the Kettle Island project itself was the potential for negative traffic impacts on nearby communities.
The NCC's report also provided demographic insight into the consultation, noting that young and racialized respondents were underrepresented, while there was strong participation from middle- to upper-income households.
The next phase of public engagement is scheduled for 2026, and will include an opportunity for the public to comment on early design concepts for the proposed bridge.
