The design, called “Motion”, features three arches meant to reflect the natural landscape and “gathering spots” for pedestrians to view the Ottawa River from the bridge.

The design is inspired by nature and “honours the efforts of Indigenous communities for the restoration of traditional habitats and their respected wisdom and dedication to reconciliation and reconnection to the Land,” the NCC said in a news release. 

This design phase of the project will include public consultation and review in spring and summer of 2025 and ongoing engagement with Indigenous communities and representatives.

The requirements for the new bridge involve two lanes of traffic, one in each direction, that can be later adapted for a high-capacity transit system.

The bridge will also have a two-way lane for active transportation with pedestrians safely separated from cyclists.

The Motion concept was designed by a design team established by Arup Canada, with Knight Architects as the lead architects. Under the purview of both Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) and the NCC, the project is predicted to begin construction in 2028 and open in 2032.

The NCC has not yet released information on the cost and funding of the project and said it will continue to engage the public about possible impacts of construction, including noise, traffic and environmental impacts.

At over 120 years old, the current bridge is showing signs of wear, including corrosion that is weakening and deteriorating steel mechanisms. 

The original bridge opened to the public in 1901, carrying trains, electric streetcars, horses and wagons and pedestrians and, at the time, was the longest cantilevered span in Canada and the largest steel structure built in North America. It is not a National Heritage Site and due to its current condition was added to the National Trust for Canada’s Endangered Places List.

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After two years of limited, short seasons due to mild weather, the Skateway opened with a chill, and Bruce Devine, senior manager of facilities and programs at the NCC, said the ice exceeded expectations.

“It was an outstanding weekend. I was skating on Sunday to have a better feel of it, and the ice was in very, very nice condition,” he told Ottawa Compass. “People were smiling and enjoying their experience on skates…There were a bunch of little kids. It was fun, nice atmosphere.”

There was added enthusiasm after two years of sub-par conditions, Devine added. “I suspect people were anxious to just get on it and benefit from it from it while it lasts. That’s the impression I’m getting.”

Of the 7.8-kilometre length of the Canal, between Parliament and Carleton University, 7.4 kilometres are currently open, leaving just a short span downtown that is not yet ready for use.

The weather forecast also broadcasts “clear skies” — metaphorically speaking — for Winterlude, which kicks off on Jan. 31 and relies on cold temperatures to maintain the Canal, as well as ice-based activities like igloos and ice sculptures.

“People know that I’m a very optimistic person, but looking at the medium forecast range, [weather] looks very nice. In two days, the temperature is rising a bit, but as of next Sunday, it drops a lot,” he explains. “So it seems to be like that for weeks, which looks like we’re into a nice season.”

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Quebec Senator Rosa Galvez has introduced a bill in the Senate — backed by Liberal MP Sophie Chatel — to expand protections of the Gatineau Park and strengthen collaboration with the Algonquin Anishinabeg Nation.

“Gatineau Park is an important ecosystem for the Outaouais region, both for its rich biodiversity and for its recreational use by residents of the region,” said Galvez, a member of the Independent Senators Group, in a press release. “We have the opportunity to strengthen its legal status and ensure the park’s ecological integrity for future generations.”

The bill was drafted following consultations with the Kitigan Zibi Indigenous community, the National Capital Commission (NCC), environmental groups, and surrounding associations and municipalities and aims to protect the ecological integrity of the park.

Chatel, who represents the Pontiac riding in Western Quebec near the park, said she is committing to championing the bill in the House of Commons, which she said will “prioritize the ecological integrity of the park” and ensure that recreational activities at the park are conducted “in harmony with the protection of nature.”

The bill will allow the NCC to request the services and collaborations of businesses and workers from the local Anishinaabe community, Chatel said, to help with the protection of the park and create employment for the community.

If passed, the bill would not allow the public land, which makes up 98 per cent of the park, to be transferred from the NCC without a legislation amendment. The exception to this is if the NCC decided to transfer land for the benefit of the local Indigenous community. This protection of public land is the “main objective” of the bill, she said.

“There’s a lot of pressure to develop around the park, especially from urban centres like Chelsea. Once you have clear boundaries, you can say that within those boundaries, the public will no longer be able to dispose of it, and it will be dedicated for the ecological integrity and the benefit of people of Canada for their enjoyment in harmony with the ecology.”

Chatel said there have been questions around how the election will impact the bill, especially since Chatel said she will need the full parliamentary year to implement it.

“We think it will move quickly, because it’s a nonpartisan bill. We hope that all parties will agree with it. But what happens in an election before it’s received? If the people of Pontiac give me a second mandate, we will hold the bill at the first opportunity,” she explained. “And the benefit of having it tabled at the Senate is that the Senator will be there, come what may, and she is committed to see this bill through, as I am once it reaches the House.”

The office of Public Services and Procurement Minister Jean-Yves Duclos — who also serves as the Liberals’ Quebec lieutenant — said the minister supports Chatel, who is “leading the effort,” but wouldn’t confirm if Duclos is consider introducing the bill as government legislation.

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