The Government of Canada has purchased the historic Quebec Bridge and committed to invest $1 billion in the structure’s rehabilitation over the next 40 years.

The bridge spans the St. Lawrence River between Quebec City and its suburb of Lévis, Que.

Ottawa purchased the structure for a nominal price of $1 from Canadian National Railway after finalizing an agreement in principle announced in May.

Jean-Yves Duclos, the federal minister of public services and procurement, confirmed that all conditions for the bridge’s repatriation have been met. The federal government originally owned the bridge before transferring it to CN in 1995.

Ottawa and CN signed the official deed of transfer on Tuesday. The bridge’s return to Crown ownership enables Ottawa to assume responsibility for its long-term sustainability, allowing it to continue serving as an essential transportation link for Quebec City residents, commuters, and tourists, as well as a critical freight corridor in Canada’s supply chain, said the federal government.

Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated (JCCBI), a federal Crown corporation, has been appointed as the bridge’s owner and manager. JCCBI manages Montreal’s Jacques Cartier and Honoré Mercier bridges.

The company will develop and execute an extensive rehabilitation plan for the bridge, with the federal government providing $40 million annually over the next four decades.

The rehabilitation efforts will include steel repair, maintenance of the piers and footings, and a comprehensive painting program to safeguard the bridge against corrosion and enhance its visual appeal.

“The Quebec Bridge is a critical and major infrastructure for the Quebec City region,” said Duclos in a news release. “By repatriating this essential link, we are ensuring that the bridge can continue to benefit not only our country’s economy, but also the users and residents of the greater Quebec City region who have been using this bridge for their daily commute for over a century.”

In addition, a new advisory committee, the Groupe consultatif pour la sauvegarde du pont de Québec, will be established to provide insight and proposals on the bridge’s future. The committee will include business leaders, experts, and community members invested in preserving the bridge’s legacy.

Built by the St. Lawrence Bridge Company of Montreal in 1917, the bridge was the world’s longest clear-span bridge at the time and was inaugurated by the Prince of Wales in 1919.

The bridge suffered two tragic collapses during construction, resulting in the deaths of 76 workers in 1907 and 13 more in 1916.

Initially conceived as a railway bridge, it now carries three road lanes, a pedestrian walkway, and a cycling path. With a cantilever span of 549 metres, it remains the longest of its kind globally.

CN will continue to oversee the bridge’s rail corridor, while the Quebec government will remain responsible for its roadway and bike-path management.

In 1987, the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering designated the Quebec Bridge a monument to civil engineering. It became a national historic site of Canada in 1995.

The bridge continues to serve an average of 33,000 vehicles daily, including 400 public transit buses carrying over 6,000 passengers, and remains the only active transportation link between Quebec City and Lévis.