In June 2024, the Government of Canada authorized further studies on the Kettle Island corridor. This corridor would provide alternative transportation routes that would address peak travel times and truck congestion in the downtown cores. It would also provide an alternative pathway for public transit and active transportation, such as cycling or walking.
Studies and Reports
A funding partnership of the National Capital Commission, Ontario Ministry of Transportation and Ministère des Transports du Québec, forming a Steering Committee, launched an Environmental Assessment in 2006 to assess potential interprovincial crossing alternatives and their associated approach corridors. The City of Ottawa and Ville de Gatineau formed part of the Study Team with the Steering Committee who guided the project.
The proposed new river crossing supported long-term transportation objectives and planned growth within the National Capital Region, and was intended to support an enhanced cultural and social connection between communities as well as commercial linkages.
The first phase of the project, completed in 2009, included a review of the need and justification of the crossing as well as, the evaluation of many initial crossing locations from the east to west limits of the Region. Three eastern sector corridors were identified as having potential and recommended for more detailed assessment.
The second phase of the project focused on the analysis and evaluation of the three locations which had received the highest ratings from Phase 1: Kettle Island (Corridor 5), Lower Duck Island (Corridor 6) and Gatineau Airport/McLaurin Bay (Corridor 7) and included the detailed assessment and evaluation of an extensive number of environmental, design and transportation specialties.
At the completion of the Analysis and Evaluation Tasks, the recommended corridor was presented to communities, stakeholders and members of the public. Following the public consultation, the Steering Committee elected to abandon the study in 2013.
The 2019 federal budget directed the NCC to refresh existing studies on potential corridors for an additional crossing between Ottawa and Gatineau.
The refresh of the 2013 technical studies has been completed on three potential corridors that were previously identified as having the most potential:
- Kettle Island (Corridor 5)
- Lower Duck Island (Corridor 6)
- McLaurin Bay (Corridor 7)
Refresh of technical studies for a sixth interprovincial crossing (April 2020)
Next steps
As part of an integrated project office, PSPC and the NCC will continue to work together to gather new information. The project office will:
- make an informed recommendation on how a new crossing in the NCR can be built;
- ensure that the region’s natural environment and cultural heritage are respected.
The public, Indigenous communities and stakeholders will have the opportunity to share feedback and considerations. Public consultation and engagement activities will take place in the coming years.
The integrated project office has commissioned many studies in recent years. On top of the refreshed studies, the project office will use the results of the:
- Revised Long-Term Integrated Interprovincial Crossings Plan, which considers new information from the:
- Origin-Destination Survey, led by the TRANS Committee, of which the NCC is a member agency (report expected to be available in summer 2024)
- Interprovincial Truck Mobility Data Collection, initiated in March 2023 by the NCC
- geotechnical study completed in 2023 to understand whether a site may be appropriate to support the structure of a potential crossing (report expected to be available in fall 2024)