Gatineau–Ottawa Tramway (TramGO)

Alignment

The tramway would link Gatineau’s west end with downtown Gatineau and downtown Ottawa. The plan prepared by the STO’s project office has 24 km of track and 37 stations, about 22 km of it in Québec. Two branches would serve the west end. The south axis would run from Aylmer along boulevard des Allumettières, boulevard Wilfrid-Lavigne, and chemin d’Aylmer. The north axis would serve the Plateau along chemin Vanier, boulevard du Plateau, and boulevard Saint-Raymond. The branches would meet at boulevard Saint-Raymond and boulevard Alexandre-Taché, then share a trunk along Alexandre-Taché and boulevard Lucerne, past the Université du Québec en Outaouais, and along rue Laurier in Hull. The STO chose these streets over boulevard des Allumettières for the shared section because they are closer to where people live.

The line would cross the Ottawa River on the Portage Bridge. In Ottawa it would run either at street level on Wellington Street, which the National Capital Commission’s board has approved in principle, or in a tunnel under Sparks Street. The eastern end would be near Lyon station, for a transfer to O-Train Line 1. The STO estimated capacity at about 300 riders per tram and 5,000 riders per hour in each direction. The map shows the STO’s 24 km plan with the Wellington Street option. Mobilité Infra Québec (MIQ) has said the version it recommends will be shorter and built in phases, most likely keeping the Plateau branch and scaling back the Aylmer branch.

Updates

2026-11 — MIQ recommendations due by November 30

MIQ confirmed it will deliver its scenarios to the Québec government by November 30, but the report is not expected to be released that day, and no release date has been set. Because Québec has a new government after the fall election, the next steps must be coordinated with it and with Gatineau partners. MIQ chief executive Renée Amilcar has said the scenarios will include a phased rollout and a smaller first section. She has also suggested a funding model with federal, provincial, municipal, and private contributions, possibly including a Gatineau share of about 10%.

2026-09 — Tramway raised in Québec leaders’ debate

In the provincial election campaign, the Liberals and Québec solidaire pledged to defend the project. Liberal leader Charles Milliard criticized the CAQ government for sidelining it at MIQ. The CAQ said it still intended to advance the tramway once MIQ had finished optimizing the design, assessing costs, and exploring financing.

2026-06 — MIQ puts the full plan at about C$8 billion

MIQ estimated the 24 km tramway at about C$8 billion, nearly double the pre-pandemic estimate of C$3.5–4.5 billion. MIQ said that version will not be among its recommendations and that the project will likely be built in two or three phases on a shorter initial route. Federal Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon said Ottawa has no other money for public transit, and MIQ said the usual federal-provincial cost split no longer works on its own.

2026-02 — Québec takes the project away from the STO

Québec withdrew all funding from the STO’s tramway project office and gave the project to MIQ for a full review within a “responsible financial framework.” The STO had to dismantle the office, eliminating about 50 jobs, and terminate contracts worth C$114 million in commitments before March 31. There was no guarantee that the roughly C$163 million that Québec and Ottawa had reserved for the final study phase would follow the project to MIQ. Gatineau Mayor Maude Marquis-Bissonnette called it a financial choice and a political disengagement, and federal Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon called it shocking.

2024-12 — Study contracts and Ottawa-side funding

The STO awarded the professional services contract for technical and environmental studies to Groupe Porteur, and the federal government announced C$31.6 million over three years, starting in 2025–26, for feasibility studies on the Ottawa portion. Field work in 2025 included geotechnical drilling along the route and vibration and noise measurements.

2024-06 — C$163.5 million for planning

Canada and Québec announced C$163.5 million for the planning stage: C$98.1 million from Québec and C$65.4 million from Ottawa, for studies along the 22 km Québec section. The STO’s schedule called for studies from 2025 to 2027, procurement in 2028–2029, construction from 2030, and service in 2035.