Montfort Hospital fights proposed Kettle Island bridge

A proposed interprovincial bridge between Ottawa and Gatineau could have a negative impact on the health and safety of patients at nearby Montfort Hospital, hospital officials say.

Dr. Bernard Leduc, chief of staff at Montfort Hospital, said Wednesday at a news conference that he wants the National Capital Commission to consider the hospital's concerns that a bridge at Kettle Island in the east end would result in:

• Traffic jams that inhibit access to the hospital by ambulances, patients and staff.
• Vibrations that could affect sensitive equipment such as MRIs.
• Noise that could hamper patients' recovery.

"When you're sick or when you just delivered [a baby], tranquility and peace is something that's quite important for you in order to help you get well and recuperate better," Leduc said.

The National Capital Commission announced in September that a study by engineering consultants hadpicked Kettle Island as the best of 10 possible sites for the proposed bridge, based on its cost, environmental impact, and ability to divert interprovincial truck traffic away from Ottawa's core.

The new bridgewould carrytransport trucks between Quebec and Ontario's Highway 417via Aviation Parkway.

Jacques Legendre, Ottawa city councillor for Rideau-Rockliffe ward,said Wednesday the study didn't give enough weight to the potential impact of the bridgeon the hospital compared to its potential impact on wildlife.

"There's something wrong in the way that they've arrived at their conclusion that's what I'm saying," he said. "And thank goodness today we're now getting it from our medical experts."

Local residents have been fighting the bridge since it was announced, but Ottawa-Vanier Liberal MP Mauril Blanger said he believes the addition of the hospital's voice and its concerns about patientsbrings the debate to a new level.

He thinks that instead of Kettle Island, the bridge should be built farther east, between the Gatineau airport and an Ottawa industrial park.