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Gatineau Liberal Steven MacKinnon on housing, bridges, and the public service

According to a recent article titled Gatineau Liberal Steven MacKinnon on housing, bridges and the public service, published on April 25, 2025, the Ottawa Citizen asked readers: “What’s the one issue that needs immediate attention from Canada’s next leader?” Hundreds responded, resulting in what the paper called the “Citizens’ Agenda: five questions for Ottawa-Outaouais candidates in the April 28 federal election.” The second question was the most relevant to our mission to protect the Greenbelt: “2. What is one locally focused campaign pledge that will be your priority as MP?”

The questionnaire was sent to candidates from the five major parties in the Gatineau riding, but only the Liberal candidate, Steven MacKinnon, responded as follows: 

“One key priority is the Eastern Bridge — a commitment I will always place at the forefront for our region. It’s now in the pre-construction phase; I will ensure its delivery, aiming for full operation by 2032-34. The Eastern Bridge reflects our dedication to improving mobility, reducing traffic, boosting the local economy, creating more opportunities for public transit, and strengthening connections between francophones in the National Capital Region. There’s still much to do in areas like mobility and housing. That’s why I want to continue representing Gatineau — to fight for these priorities and deliver real, lasting results for our community.”

You can read the full article here.

Liberals surge in Gatineau, Hull-Aylmer, Pontiac-Kitigan Zibi

In another Ottawa Citizen article published on April 28, 2025, titled: Liberals surge in Gatineau, Hull- Aylmer, Pontiac-Kitigan Zibi, Minister MacKinnon reiterated his commitment to the Eastern Bridge, as follows: 

“His first priority as returning MP, he said, would be the eastern bridge over the Ottawa River. With Gatineau’s population climbing rapidly, moving people across the river has become “an extremely acute problem.”

“The long-awaited sixth interprovincial bridge in the capital region will link Ottawa’s Aviation Parkway to Montée Paiement in Gatineau across Kettle Island. He recently wrote in the Citizen, “I will ensure its delivery, aiming for full operation by 2032-34.”

You can read the full article here.

Latest News

As you are probably aware, Minister Steven MacKinnon announced on January 30, 2025, as a follow-up to the Fall Economic Statement to the effect that Kettle Island (Corridor 5) had been selected as the future location of the new interprovincial bridge between Ottawa and Gatineau, now known as the “Eastern Bridge.” Here are the main takeaways from this announcement:

• It is now official that Kettle Island (C-5) has been chosen as the location for the Sixth Interprovincial Crossing.

•  In the words of Minister MacKinnon, “The project under study has become the construction project.”1

• This first eastern bridge could be operational between 2032 and 2034.

• The announced Implementation Plan includes the following steps:

  • 2019 to 2026: Preliminary planning

  • 2026 to 2028: Planning and Design

  • 2027 to 2028: Procurement

  • 2029 to 2034: Final design and construction

  • 2034: Bridge operational

• The federal government has allocated $221 M to the pre-construction phases to be carried out until 2028.

•  An Impact Assessment will be conducted during the planning stages before construction can begin.

• While the project has been studied for over 70 years, starting with the Gréber Plan in the 1950s, the issue could again be at the heart of the upcoming election campaign.

• Starting immediately, the NCC will conduct public consultations so that all interested parties can have their voices heard. However, this bridge is needed to address the long-standing security and pollution problem of the daily 3500 trucks circulating between downtown Ottawa and downtown Hull.

• To that end, the NCC has assigned a special advisor to the PSPC Bridge Project Office.

• Minister McKinnon remarked that any project cancellation at this stage would have to be justified by any new administration, given the time and public money already spent on this issue.
  
  

More details can be found in the Public Services and Procurement Canada Press Release published on January 30, 2025 (https://www.canada.ca/en/public-services-procurement/news/2025/01/a-first-bridge-east-of-the-national-capital-region.html)

1 – Minister Steve MacKinnon Announces New Interprovincial Bridge in Gatineau, CPAC, January 30, 2025 (https://www.cpac.ca/headline-politics/episode/minister-steve-mackinnon-announces-new-interprovincial-bridge-in-gatineau?id=53ef7615-aa95-426a-8950-9b4df2ad26ec)

In a related radio interview with Michel Langevin from station 104,7 Outaouais (Spécifications concernant le pont dans l'est — 104.7 Outaouais), Minister MacKinnon provided further details, as follows:

1 - The project is actually going ahead, with specific timelines and funds earmarked for the pre-construction and planning stages.

2 - Support for the project is growing:

• Stéphanie Plante, City Councilor for Rideau-Vanier is on board.

• Ontario Provincial Government also (the Minister spoke to Ontario's Finance Minister).

• Some Conservative MPs (according to informal discussions on Parliament Hill) seem favorable to the idea of an eastern bridge.
  

3 - The Minister recognizes that there will be opposition to the project. The government is not looking for unanimity but rather consensus.
4 - The bridge has been the most studied in Canadian history (since 1915), so practically every aspect has been covered.
5 - Critical environmental issues, such as protecting the western chorus frog, are considered, and three feasible options for the layout of the crossing are one pillar on Kettle Island, going around it, or over it.
6 - The Montée Paiement and the Aviation Parkway were expressly built to accommodate a new bridge in the East End, per the Ottawa and Gatineau municipal plans. Of course, some modifications will be required, but the federal government will foot the bill.
7 - The Minister said the bridge project would be part of the Liberal Party platform for the upcoming federal election.

Finally, another article published on February 13, 2025, provides some context about the government announcement of January 30, 2025, and a few more specifics concerning the pre-construction phase, namely:

• Because the project will build on existing roads, the Montée Paiement–Aviation Parkway Corridor has the smallest link footprint and offers a faster planning schedule and better proximity to existing commercial properties on both sides of the Ottawa River.
  

• To proceed with the next planning and design activities for the bridge, the government published a request for proposals for the professional services of a technical advisor on December 31. The technical advisor will support the development of the procurement strategy for the project.
  

• Meanwhile, the government says it intends to hold public consultations to gather the comments of citizens, Indigenous communities and stakeholders, to ensure harmonious development while minimizing the impact on communities.

Follow this link for the full article: https://www.link2build.ca/news/articles/2025/february/federal-government-starts-pre-planning-work-for-new-interprovincial-bridge-in-national-capital-region/#

Although this announcement represents a significant step forward, the upcoming federal election still maintains a degree of uncertainty in this matter, so we must remain vigilant and keep a close eye on any new developments. Of course, we will keep you posted every step of the way.