Jacques Cartier Bridge

The land under the bridge is closed between 12:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. Municipal by-laws for major parks apply to this site. Please consult the Ville de Montréal’s dedicated web page for more details. It is strictly forbidden to consume alcohol, set up a camp, or light a fire on the land under the bridge.

Trees, shrubs and perennials were planted on the land under the bridge, and the chosen species are particularly well suited to the urban environment. Revegetating the area has also helped reduce heat island effects. Paved pedestrian paths were laid down and street furniture was installed to encourage people to spend time in the area.

Seven bioretention basins were created under the bridge. They collect rainwater as well as the water that runs off the bridge. These basins have an environment with natural micro-organisms that feed on different contaminants in the stormwater.

A 19th-century pipe kiln made by the Henderson factory was discovered from archaeological excavations under the bridge carried out during the work in 2019.

The Henderson pipe factory was founded in 1847 by William Henderson, Sr., and taken over by the founder’s grandsons, the Dixon brothers, in 1876. This kiln may have been built sometime between 1847 and 1892. 

• Three information plinths have been placed on the land under the bridge. They provide details about the bioretention ponds, the 19th-century pipe kiln, and many other elements of interest, such as the history of the bridge and its illumination that is unique in the world.
• As part of its Material Reuse Program, JCCBI also repurposed a portion of the deck from the original Champlain Bridge, which was decommissioned in 2019 and deconstructed from 2020 to 2024. These deck pieces serve as supports for the plinths.