Historic Bridges

Home / Explore / Historic Sites

Location

Gatineau, Quebec and Ottawa, Ontario

Why it matters

The federal government seems poised to demolish the monumental Alexandra Bridge (EPL 2021), an engineering marvel recognized by the Canadian Society of Civil Engineering, which has which has connected Gatineau and Ottawa below Parliament Hill for 125 years.

Your history. Your inbox.

With 7 uniquely curated newsletters to choose from, we have something for everyone.

Why it’s endangered

This is indicative of the limited regard generally for Canada’s historic bridges. While a small number of historic bridges like the High Level Bridge (1913) in Edmonton and the Quebec Bridge (EPL 2015) in Québec City see upgrades to extend their lives to 2100, most are prematurely declared obsolete.

Other levels of government, similarly, do not have the heritage value of bridges on their radar. In New Brunswick, several of its famous covered bridges [EPL 2018] — for example the William Mitton and Wheaton bridges — are once again endangered. And elsewhere in Canada, historic bridges are similarly threatened: Arlington Street Bridge (Winnipeg); Little Current Swing Bridge (Manitoulin Island, ON); and CPR Railway Bridge over the Rideau River (Ottawa).

Current government heritage processes at all levels of government do not adequately consider the heritage value of these landmark engineering works.

This article is also available in French.

Canada's Top 10 Endangered Places List 2024

Église Sainte-Marie

Beyond its exceptional architectural significance, the monumental church has profound cultural heritage significance for community members.

Militia Arms Store

Erected in 1832, the modest two-storey Georgian-style Militia Arms Store building is the only surviving wooden structure in the Fredericton Military Compound National Historic Site of Canada.

Canada's Chinatowns

Canada’s Chinatowns are not museums, they are vibrant communities bringing together people, culture, histories, and practice in richly layered urban heritage areas.

Canada Malting Co. Limited

Built in 1905, the Canada Malting Co. Ltd plant was the largest malting facility in Canada by the mid-20th century and the second largest in North America, processing barley into malt largely for the brewing industry.

Boyd Building

The Boyd Block is a keystone structure on Portage Avenue, one that could be adapted for housing and other purposes, but its future is uncertain.

Gravelbourg Convent

The convent is an important historical marker of French settlement in western Canada.

Building 200

Canada is the only G7 country without laws to protect heritage places owned by the federal government.

Centennial Museums

Adaptive reuse of heritage buildings is climate action, and Canada needs provincial-territorial and municipal governments to develop expertise and vision to actively transition these long-cherished public assets.

Historic Places of Faith

While these landmark buildings are often rich with cultural heritage value and beautifully constructed, they also typically provide valuable “third spaces” for non-profit and community groups.

Every year, the National Trust for Canada publishes its Endangered Places List as part of its mission to bring people together to care for and promote heritage places.

The National Trust Endangered Places List is compiled from reports and news items the National Trust has been following throughout the year. First published in 2005, the National Trust Endangered Places List has become a powerful tool in the fight to make landmarks, not landfill.

The National Trust believes that heritage places are a catalyst for sustainable, livable, lovable communities, yet every year, more are lost due to factors like neglect, lack of funding, and weak legislation. By shining a spotlight on places at risk, the Endangered Places List raises awareness and bolsters the efforts of local heritage groups working to save them.