In spring 2019, serious flooding caused major damage to the Ontario and Quebec shorelines of the Ottawa River between the Chaudières Bridge and the Portage Bridge. After emergency reconstruction work, undertaken in fall 2019 on the Ontario side, the NCC is undertaking shoreline reconstruction and stabilization work at the Portage Bridge and along the Ottawa River.

About the project

Damage from the 2019 floods on the Quebec side
The flooding in spring 2019 was the worst in history on this section of the Ottawa River. Between the Chaudières Bridge and the Portage Bridge, the strong current from the high water caused major damage to the Ontario and Quebec shorelines.

Reconstruction of the shoreline to make it more resilient is necessary to ensure the protection of the Portage Bridge. The Portage Bridge abutments, as well as the north and south shores to the east and west of the bridge, and the eastern tip of Chaudières Island were damaged. To support the work to be done and confirm the extent of the damage, the NCC conducted geotechnical, hydraulic and bathymetric studies.

Scope of work and schedule

2021: Work on Victoria Island

The shorelines of Victoria Island have been stabilized to protect the Portage Bridge abutment on the Ontario side. The work was undertaken in coordination with site remediation work.

Landscaping and reinstatement of the shorelines will be completed in the spring.

2021: Work on the Quebec shoreline

Winter: Geotechnical studies and the removal of potentially contaminated soil are planned, in order to move ahead with the project design. We will remove soil under the pathway in early February. This will stabilize the shorelines until the reconstruction work, which is planned for later in 2021.

Summer–fall: Shoreline restoration and the reconstruction of the multi-use pathway will be completed.

Upcoming work on the eastern part of Chaudières Island

Work will be undertaken on the eastern end of Chaudières Island, to stabilize the shoreline. This project is at the design phase, and design options are currently being considered.


This project is part of the NCC’s major infrastructure projects made possible with the Government of Canada’s $52.4-million investment from the 2020 federal budget.

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