Québec government awards contract for replacement of the Île-aux-Tourtes Bridge

On April 17, 2023, the Québec government announced that it had concluded a comprehensive Design Build Finance contract providing for the replacement of the existing Île-aux-Tourtes Bridge and the deconstruction of the existing bridge. Work on the approximately $2.0 billion project has already begun.

The existing bridge, opened in 1965, is a major artery going to and from Montreal's West Island with nearly 90,000 drivers crossing the span daily. Traffic is expected to increase significantly in coming years. The bridge will stretch some 2 kilometers over the Lac des Deux-Montagnes.

The project consists of the design, construction and financing of the new bridge to replace the existing bridge. The new bridge, comprised of two distinct structures, will be located north of the existing bridge. The first structure is expected to gradually begin opening by the end of 2026 and the second at the end of 2027. The deconstruction of the existing bridge will start after completion of the transfer of traffic to the new bridge structure.

Gowling WLG advised the contracting authority La ministre des Transports et de la Mobilité durable and the legal affairs department of the Department of Justice (Québec) with respect to all aspects of this procurement, with a team led by Luc Lissoir (corporate/procurement/infrastructure) and Nicolas Cayouette (commercial litigation/infrastructure), supported by Pierre Lissoir (corporate/infrastructure), Joey Suri (corporate/infrastructure), Anne-Marie Brien (procurement/infrastructure) Daniel Jordan (corporate/infrastructure). The team called on and received the assistance of additional Montréal-based colleagues, including David Kierans (project financing), Daniel Lacelle and Malya Amghar (tax), Guy Poitras (insurance), François Dandonneau (Indigenous) and Nicolas Dubé (environmental).