On April 12, 2024, the Québec government announced the signing of the design-build contract to replace the existing Île d'Orléans Bridge with a new cable-stayed bridge, a project valued at approximately $2.7 billion. The consortium selected for the design-build contract is Groupe Héritage Île-d'Orléans S.E.N.C., comprised of Dragados Canada, Inc. and EBC inc. Work is already underway.

Inaugurated in 1935, the existing bridge constitutes a major artery connecting Île d'Orléans to the north shore of the Saint QuébecRiver and is the only link to this island. According to the contracting authority (the ministère des Transports et de la Mobilité durable (the "MTMD")):

  • Nearly 12,000 motorists cross it every day, and over 800,000 tourists do so every year.
  • The new bridge, spanning some 2.1 kilometers, has a unique architectural design and will blend harmoniously into the region, bordering some of the province's major heritage and cultural sites.
  • As the new bridge will be built in a rich and diverse natural environment that includes a variety of essential wildlife habitats, a rigorous approach has been taken to ensure that the project complies with environmental standards and that designated threatened or vulnerable species are protected.
  • The new bridge has a planned lifespan of 100 years and will be located approximately 120 m west of the existing bridge.
  • Progressive commissioning of the bridge is scheduled for 2028, with finishing work to be executed in 2029.
  • Deconstruction of the existing bridge is scheduled to conclude by 2033.

Gowling WLG advised the contracting authority, the MTMD, and its Legal Department part of the Ministry of Justice of Québec regarding all aspects of the procurement process and closing of this large-scale project, with a team led by Luc Lissoir (corporate/procurement/infrastructure) and Nicolas Cayouette (commercial litigation/infrastructure/environment), and that included Pierre Lissoir (corporate/infrastructure), Joey Suri (corporate/infrastructure), Anne-Marie Brien (procurement/infrastructure) and Daniel Jordan (corporate/infrastructure).