On the Proposed Eastern Ottawa Bridge (also known as Kettle Island and the 6th Crossing) and Regional Transportation Planning:
As the Member of Provincial Parliament for Ottawa–Vanier, I am compelled to speak out against the current direction of the proposed interprovincial bridge at Kettle Island. This project, as it stands, does not serve the interests of Ottawa residents and fails to address the most pressing transportation challenges in our region.
The Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) has publicly acknowledged that Highway 417 is failing during peak hours, particularly between the 174 and Parkdale. Despite this, and despite recent investments at the 417/174interchange, the Province has disengaged from the regional conversation on interprovincial transportation. This is unacceptable.
Ontario must re-engage and ensure that any new infrastructure aligns with the City of Ottawa's Official Plan, Transportation Master Plan, and resolves the challenges faced by communities in Ottawa.
The NCC's recent public survey on the Kettle Island bridge includes language that is deeply troubling. It suggests that the bridge would serve to "connect francophone communities," implying that Ottawa's francophones are geographically isolated or concentrated in a single corridor. This is not only inaccurate—it is insulting. The National Capital Commission's public survey on the Kettle Island bridge includes the following statement:
"Pour que le projet du pont de l'est contribue à renforcer les liens entre les résidents de la région de la capitale nationale,y compris les deux principales communautés francophones..."
Ottawa's francophone community is vibrant, diverse, and present in every neighbourhood of our city. To suggest that this bridge would advance a "minority objective "is to reduce our rich francophone heritage to a checkbox in a federal infrastructure plan. I call on the NCC and PSPC to immediately revise this language and to engage in meaningful consultation with francophone leaders and communities across Ottawa.
3. A Bridge That Solves Nothing for Ottawa
The urgency to resolve the issue of interprovincial trucks cutting through Ottawa's downtown streets cannot be overstated. For decades, communities in Lowertown and Sandy Hill have borne the brunt of heavy truck volumes, with serious consequences for safety, air quality, economic development, and livability.
This proposed project—whether called the Kettle Island Bridge, the 6th Crossing, or the Eastern Bridge—cannot go forward without addressing the truck traffic crisis. In its current form, the proposal offers clear gains for Gatineau, while Ottawa residents would see no resolution to the trucking issue, increased congestion on local streets—particularly for Orléans commuters—and further pressure on the already strained 417 corridor.
Call to Action
The time for vague promises and outdated plans is over. We need: