PSPC tests for parkway widening 

Feds now invite public comments on bridge project

Crews with Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) have drilled boreholes in multiple sites along the Aviation Parkway. The work is to test the feasibility of widening it to four lanes, as PSPC, working alongside the National Capital Commission (NCC) works to advance the Kettle Island bridge project.

PSPC conducted this work without actively informing local residents, even those whose houses are meters away from the parkway. 

When asked about the reasons for the work, workers on site said they had been told “not to disclose anything.” Only when pressed did they reveal the work was part of the Eastern Bridge Project.

Asked for comment by the Chronicle, PSPC spokesperson Jeremy Link said the federal department, along with NCC “and other project partners, is undertaking technical studies to support the planning and design phase of the Eastern Bridge Project.”

He noted the “geotechnical drilling activities” were done on public lands, adding “PSPC and its partners obtained all required permits and approvals before commencing this work.

“Given that these temporary field investigations are taking place on lands owned or managed by project partners and are being conducted under the required permits and approvals, a dedicated notification process for nearby residents was not undertaken.”

Design principles

In June of this year the NCC published its first design principles for the bridge and connecting roads. The proposed design expands the existing two-lane portion of the parkway to four lanes with a swathe of vegetation in the middle, more than tripling its current width. 

PSPC says it has not yet determined what, if any, noise and air quality mitigation measures will be used to protect residents near an expanded parkway.

The proposed route would place a four-lane highway mere meters from the popular RCMP Musical Ride performance grounds on one side, and the runway of the Rockcliffe Flying Club on the other. Other impacted sites would include the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel (elementary) School and the emergency access point for the Montfort Hospital.

Rideau-Rockcliffe councillor Rawlson King reiterated his position opposing the Kettle Island bridge, saying, “I remain opposed to a bridge at this location and believe our future transportation investments need to focus on reliable public transit and other sustainable ways of moving people across the region.

“We also know that a sixth crossing on its own will not solve the broader transportation challenges facing our region. Traffic patterns and transportation needs are changing, and there are many ways to respond to those pressures. We need to look at the full picture, including reliable public transit, active transportation, and how we move people and goods across the region, rather than assuming another bridge is the solution.” 

In a previous Chronicle story, Manor Park Community Association president Natalie Belovic said the federal government has done nothing to address how this “disaster of a project” will impact not only Manor Park but many other communities.

Public comments invited

On Sept. 1, the federal Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC, former Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency) announced it now invites the public to comment on the proposed project. 

“Comments should be based on local, regional, or Indigenous Knowledge of the site or surrounding environment, or provide any other relevant information that may support the conduct of this assessment,” it notes on its website. “Comments received will help IAAC prepare a summary of issues, help determine if an impact assessment is required and refine its focus.”

Those comments will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 9, 2026.

For more information or submit a comment, visit iaac-aeic.gc.ca, click on Canadian Impact Assessment Registry, then enter Eastern Bridge Project in the Search box. Or, log on to iaac-aeic.gc.ca/050/evaluations/proj/90709