List of bridges in Canada facts for kids
Canada is a huge country with many rivers, lakes, and valleys. Because of this, we need lots of bridges and viaducts to help people and vehicles get around. These structures connect communities, carry busy roads and railways, and some are even famous for their history or amazing design!
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Famous and Historic Bridges
Canada has some really old and special bridges. Many years ago, there were lots of covered bridges, especially in Quebec and New Brunswick. Imagine, Quebec used to have about 1200 covered bridges, but now only 88 are left! New Brunswick still has 58. These bridges are like time capsules, showing us how people built things long ago.
| Name | What Makes It Special | Length | Type | Carries Crosses |
Opened | Location | Province | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria Bridge | Was the longest bridge in the world when it opened. | 2009 m (6591 ft) | Tubular (made of wrought iron) | Grand Trunk Railway St. Lawrence River |
1859 | Montreal–Saint-Lambert | Quebec | |
| Powerscourt Covered Bridge | The oldest covered bridge still in Canada. It's a National Historic Site. | 50 m (160 ft) | Covered bridge (wood, McCallum truss) | Road bridge Châteauguay River |
1862 | Elgin – Hinchinbrooke | Quebec | |
| West Montrose Covered Bridge | The only covered bridge left in Ontario. | 60 m (200 ft) | Covered bridge (wood and steel, Howe truss) | Road bridge Grand River (Ontario) |
1881 | West Montrose | Ontario | |
| Stoney Creek Bridge (1885) | The tallest timber bridge ever built, 84 m (276 ft) high. | 138 m (453 ft) | Truss (wooden Howe truss) | Canadian Pacific Railway Stoney Creek |
1885 | Golden | British Columbia | |
| Frontière Bridge | A historic monument. | 31 m (102 ft) | Covered bridge (wood, Town truss) | Former road bridge Mud stream |
1896 | Potton | Quebec | |
| Félix-Gabriel-Marchand Bridge | A historic monument. | 152 m (499 ft) | Covered bridge (wood, Town and queen post truss) | Road bridge Coulonge River |
1898 | Mansfield-et-Pontefract | Quebec | |
| Hartland Covered Bridge | The world's longest covered bridge. It's a National Historic Site. | 391 m (1283 ft) | Covered bridge (wood, Howe truss) | Road bridge Saint John River |
1901 | Hartland | New Brunswick | |
| Capilano Suspension Bridge | A famous suspension bridge for walking, 70 m (230 ft) high. | 137 m (449 ft) | Suspension (steel) | Footbridge Capilano River |
1903 | North Vancouver | British Columbia | |
| Cap-Rouge trestle | A tall steel trestle bridge, 52 m (171 ft) high. | 1016 m (3333 ft) | Trestle (steel) | National Transcontinental Railway Rivière du Cap Rouge |
1908 | Quebec City | Quebec | |
| Lethbridge Viaduct | The largest railway structure in Canada and the biggest of its kind in the world. It's 96 m (315 ft) high. | 1625 m (5331 ft) | Trestle (steel) | Railway bridge Oldman River |
1909 | Lethbridge | Alberta | |
| Florenceville Bridge | A Local Historic Place. | Covered bridge (wood, Howe truss) and steel truss | Road bridge Saint John River |
1911 | Florenceville-Bristol | New Brunswick | ||
| Centre Street Bridge | A Municipal Historic Resource. | 178 m (584 ft) | Arch (concrete deck arch) | Road bridge Bow River |
1916 | Calgary | Alberta | |
| Kinsol Trestle | One of the largest wooden trestle bridges in Canada, 44 m (144 ft) high. | 187 m (614 ft) | Trestle (wood, Howe truss) | Former railway bridge Koksilah River |
1920 | Shawnigan Lake | British Columbia | |
| Alexandra Suspension Bridge | A Local Historic Place. | Suspension (steel truss) | Road bridge Fraser Canyon |
1926 | Spuzzum | British Columbia | ||
| Peace Bridge | Connects Canada and the United States. | 1768 m (5801 ft) | Arch (steel deck arch) | Road bridge Niagara River |
1927 | Fort Erie–Buffalo | Ontario United States |
|
| Routhierville Bridge | A historic monument listed on the Cultural Heritage Register. | 78 m (256 ft) | Covered bridge (wood, Quebec Town Truss) | Road bridge Matapedia River |
1931 | Routhierville | Quebec | |
| Arvida Bridge | The first bridge in the world built entirely of aluminum. A heritage monument. | 154 m (505 ft) | Arch (aluminum deck arch) | Road bridge Saguenay River |
1950 | Arvida | Quebec | |
| Montmorency Falls Suspension Bridge | Suspension (steel) | Footbridge Montmorency Falls Montmorency River |
1993 | Quebec City | Quebec | |||
| Esplanade Riel | 197 m (646 ft) | Cable-stayed (side-spar, concrete box girder) | Footbridge Red River of the North |
2003 | Winnipeg | Manitoba |
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Major Road and Railway Bridges
Canada has some truly massive bridges! The Confederation Bridge in the Gulf of St. Lawrence is Canada's longest bridge, stretching for 12,910 m (8.02 mi). It's also the longest bridge in the world over water that freezes in winter. Over 5,000 local workers helped build it!
The Quebec Bridge has been the longest cantilever bridge span in the world since 1917. Its main section is 549 m (1801 ft) long. It held the record for the longest span of any type of bridge until suspension bridges started to be built with even longer spans. It was named a National Historic Site in 1995.
In 1929, the Ambassador Bridge between Canada and the United States became the world's largest crossing with a 564 m (1850 ft) main span. This record was then broken by the George Washington Bridge in New York City in 1931.
Engineers have even studied building a huge 1145 m (3757 ft) suspension bridge over the Saguenay River in Quebec, with enough space for ships to pass 70 m (230 ft) below!
Here are some of Canada's biggest bridges, especially those with main spans longer than 100 meters:
| Name | Main Span | Total Length | Type | Carries Crosses |
Opened | Location | Province | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gordie Howe International Bridge under construction |
853 m (2799 ft) | 2500 m (8200 ft) | Cable-stayed (steel box girder) | Ontario Highway 401 Detroit River |
2024 | Windsor–Detroit | Ontario United States |
|
| Pierre Laporte Bridge | 667 m (2188 ft) | 1041 m (3415 ft) | Suspension (steel truss) | Quebec Autoroute 73 St. Lawrence River |
1970 | Quebec City | Quebec | |
| Ambassador Bridge | 564 m (1850 ft) | 2286 m (7500 ft) | Suspension (steel truss) | Ontario Highway 3 Detroit River |
1929 | Windsor–Detroit | Ontario United States |
|
| Quebec Bridge | 549 m (1801 ft) | 987 m (3238 ft) | Cantilever (steel truss) | Quebec Route 175 Canadian National Railway Via Rail St. Lawrence River |
1917 | Quebec City–Lévis | Quebec | |
| Lions Gate Bridge | 473 m (1552 ft) | 1517 m (4977 ft) | Suspension (steel truss) | British Columbia Highway 99–1A Burrard Inlet |
1938 | Vancouver | British Columbia | |
| Port Mann Bridge (2012) | 470 m (1540 ft) | 2020 m (6630 ft) | Cable-stayed (steel/concrete deck) | British Columbia Highway 1 Trans-Canada Highway Fraser River |
2012 | Surrey | British Columbia | |
| Alex Fraser Bridge | 465 m (1526 ft) | 2524 m (8281 ft) | Cable-stayed (steel/concrete deck) | British Columbia Highway 91 Fraser River |
1986 | Delta | British Columbia | |
| Angus L. Macdonald Bridge | 441 m (1447 ft) | 1347 m (4419 ft) | Suspension (steel truss) | Road bridge Halifax Harbour |
1955 | Halifax, Nova Scotia | Nova Scotia | |
| A. Murray MacKay Bridge | 427 m (1401 ft) | 1236 m (4055 ft) | Suspension (steel truss) | Nova Scotia Highway 111 Halifax Harbour |
1970 | Halifax, Nova Scotia | Nova Scotia | |
| Port Mann Bridge (1964) taken down in 2012 |
366 m (1201 ft) | 2093 m (6867 ft) | Arch (steel through arch) | British Columbia Highway 1 Trans-Canada Highway Fraser River |
1964 | Surrey | British Columbia | |
| Ogdensburg–Prescott International Bridge | 351 m (1152 ft) | 2248 m (7375 ft) | Suspension (steel truss) | Ontario Highway 16 St. Lawrence River |
1960 | Johnstown–Ogdensburg | Ontario United States |
|
| Skybridge (TransLink) | 340 m (1120 ft) | 616 m (2021 ft) | Cable-stayed (concrete deck) | Vancouver SkyTrain Fraser River |
1990 | Surrey–New Westminster | British Columbia | |
| Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing | 335 m (1099 ft) | 1292 m (4239 ft) | Cantilever (steel) | British Columbia Highway 1 Trans-Canada Highway Burrard Inlet |
1960 | Vancouver–North Vancouver | British Columbia | |
| Laviolette Bridge | 335 m (1099 ft) | 2707 m (8881 ft) | Arch (steel through arch) | Quebec Autoroute 55 St. Lawrence River |
1967 | Trois-Rivières | Quebec | |
| Jacques Cartier Bridge | 334 m (1096 ft) | 2687 m (8816 ft) | Cantilever (steel) | Quebec Route 134 St. Lawrence River |
1930 | Montreal–Longueuil | Quebec | |
| New Pattullo Bridge under construction |
332 m (1089 ft) | 1227 m (4026 ft) | Cable-stayed (concrete pylon) | British Columbia Highway 99–1A Fraser River |
2024 | Surrey–New Westminster | British Columbia | |
| Île d'Orléans Bridge | 323 m (1060 ft) | 1838 m (6030 ft) | Suspension (steel truss) | Quebec Route 368 St. Lawrence River |
1936 | Quebec City–Île d'Orléans | Quebec | |
| Lewiston–Queenston Bridge | 305 m (1001 ft) | 488 m (1601 ft) | Arch (steel deck arch) | Ontario Highway 405 Niagara River |
1962 | Queenston–Lewiston | Ontario United States |
|
| Grand-Mère Bridge | 289 m (948 ft) | 337 m (1106 ft) | Suspension (steel truss) | Quebec Route 153 Saint-Maurice River |
1929 | Shawinigan | Quebec | |
| Rainbow Bridge | 289 m (948 ft) | 442 m (1450 ft) | Arch (steel deck arch) | Road bridge Niagara River |
1941 | Niagara Falls–Niagara Falls, New York | Ontario United States |
|
| Peace River Suspension Bridge collapsed in 1957 |
283 m (928 ft) | 640 m (2100 ft) | Suspension (steel truss) | British Columbia Highway 97 Alaska Highway Peace River |
1943 | Taylor | British Columbia | |
| Second Blue Water Bridge | 281 m (922 ft) | 1862 m (6109 ft) | Arch (steel through arch) | Ontario Highway 402 St. Clair River |
1997 | Sarnia–Port Huron | Ontario United States |
|
| Olivier-Charbonneau Bridge | 280 m (919 ft) | 1200 m (3900 ft) | Cable-stayed (steel/concrete deck) | Quebec Autoroute 25 Rivière des Prairies |
2011 | Montreal–Laval | Quebec | |
| Dunvegan Bridge | 274 m (899 ft) | Suspension (steel truss) | Alberta Highway 2 Peace River |
1960 | Dunvegan | Alberta | ||
| Seaway International South Bridge | 273 m (896 ft) | 1061 m (3481 ft) | Suspension (steel truss) | Road bridge St. Lawrence River |
1958 | Cornwall–Massena | Ontario United States |
|
| Blue Water Bridge | 265 m (869 ft) | 1883 m (6178 ft) | Cantilever (steel truss) | Ontario Highway 402 St. Clair River |
1938 | Sarnia–Port Huron | Ontario United States |
|
| Alexandra Bridge (Trans-Canada) | 257 m (843 ft) | 487 m (1598 ft) | Arch (steel deck arch) | British Columbia Highway 1 Trans-Canada Highway Fraser River |
1964 | Spuzzum | British Columbia | |
| Confederation Bridge | 250 m (820 ft) (x43 sections) | 12910 m (42356 ft) | Box girder (concrete) | New Brunswick Route 16 Prince Edward Island Route 1 Trans-Canada Highway Northumberland Strait |
1997 | Borden-Carleton–Cape Jourimain | Prince Edward Island New Brunswick |
|
| J. C. Van Horne Bridge | 248 m (814 ft) | 804 m (2638 ft) | Cantilever (steel truss) | Road bridge Restigouche River |
1961 | Campbellton–Pointe-à-la-Croix | New Brunswick Quebec |
|
| Golden Ears Bridge | 242 m (794 ft) (x3 sections) | 968 m (3176 ft) | Extradosed (steel/concrete deck) | Golden Ears Way Fraser River |
2009 | Langley–Maple Ridge | British Columbia | |
| Papineau-Leblanc Bridge | 241 m (791 ft) | 421 m (1381 ft) | Cable-stayed (steel box girder) | Quebec Autoroute 19 Rivière des Prairies |
1969 | Montreal–Laval | Quebec | |
| Champlain Bridge (2019) | 240 m (790 ft) | 3335 m (10942 ft) | Cable-stayed (steel box girder) | Quebec Autoroute 10 Quebec Autoroute 15 Quebec Autoroute 20 St. Lawrence River St. Lawrence Seaway |
2019 | Montreal–Brossard | Quebec | |
| Georgina Island Bridge | 228 m (748 ft) | 1015 m (3330 ft) | Suspension (steel truss) | Ontario Highway 137 St. Lawrence River |
1938 | Leeds and the Thousand Islands–Hill Island | Ontario | |
| Longs Creek Bridge | 218 m (715 ft) | Cable-stayed (steel girder) | Road bridge Saint John River |
1966 | Kingsclear | New Brunswick | ||
| Hawkshaw Bridge | 217 m (712 ft) | 333 m (1093 ft) | Cable-stayed (steel girder) | New Brunswick Route 102 Saint John River |
1967 | Hawkshaw | New Brunswick | |
| Champlain Bridge (1962) taken down in 2019 |
215 m (705 ft) | 3440 m (11290 ft) | Cantilever (steel truss) | Quebec Autoroute 10 Quebec Autoroute 15 Quebec Autoroute 20 St. Lawrence River St. Lawrence Seaway |
1962 | Montreal–Brossard | Quebec | |
| Pitt River Bridge | 190 m (620 ft) | 380 m (1250 ft) | Cable-stayed (steel/concrete deck) | British Columbia Highway 7 Pitt River |
2009 | Port Coquitlam–Pitt Meadows | British Columbia | |
| Deh Cho Bridge | 190 m (620 ft) | 1045 m (3428 ft) | Extradosed (steel/concrete truss) | Yellowknife Highway Mackenzie River |
2012 | Fort Providence | Northwest Territories | |
| Revelstoke Bridge | 183 m (600 ft) | 302 m (991 ft) | Suspension (steel truss) | British Columbia Highway 1 Trans-Canada Highway Columbia River |
1961 | Revelstoke | British Columbia | |
| Burton Bridge | 183 m (600 ft) | 544 m (1785 ft) | Arch (steel through arch) | Road bridge Saint John River |
1972 | Maugerville–Burton | New Brunswick | |
| Pont des Piles | 181 m (594 ft) | 285 m (935 ft) | Box girder (concrete) | Quebec Autoroute 55 Saint-Maurice River |
1978 | Shawinigan | Quebec | |
| North Arm Bridge | 180 m (590 ft) | 562 m (1844 ft) | Extradosed (concrete box girder) | Vancouver SkyTrain Fraser River |
2008 | Vancouver–Richmond | British Columbia | |
| Reversing Falls Bridge | 172 m (564 ft) | Arch (steel deck arch) | New Brunswick Route 100 Saint John River |
1916 | Saint John | New Brunswick | ||
| Alexandra Bridge | 169 m (554 ft) | 563 m (1847 ft) | Cantilever (steel truss) | Road bridge Ottawa River |
1901 | Ottawa–Gatineau | Ontario Quebec |
|
| Whirlpool Rapids Bridge | 167 m (548 ft) | 329 m (1079 ft) | Arch (steel deck arch) | Maple Leaf (train) Niagara River |
1897 | Niagara Falls–Niagara Falls, New York | Ontario United States |
|
| Pont de la Concorde | 160 m (520 ft) (x3 sections) | 690 m (2260 ft) | Box girder (steel) | Road bridge St. Lawrence River |
1965 | Montreal | Quebec | |
| Miscou Bridge | 160 m (520 ft) | 505 m (1657 ft) | Beam (steel) | New Brunswick Route 113 Chaleur Bay |
1996 | Miscou Island–Lamèque Island | New Brunswick | |
| Seal Island Bridge | 152 m (499 ft) | 747 m (2451 ft) | Arch (steel through arch) | Nova Scotia Highway 105 Trans-Canada Highway Bras d'Or Lake |
1962 | Boularderie Island–Cape Breton Island | Nova Scotia | |
| Burlington Bay James N. Allan Skyway (1958) | 151 m (495 ft) | 2560 m (8399 ft) | Arch (steel through arch) | Queen Elizabeth Way Hamilton Harbour |
1958 | Hamilton–Burlington | Ontario | |
| Burlington Bay James N. Allan Skyway (1985) | 151 m (495 ft) | 2215 m (7267 ft) | Box girder (concrete) | Queen Elizabeth Way Hamilton Harbour |
1985 | Hamilton–Burlington | Ontario | |
| Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge | 132 m (433 ft) | 4.5 km (2.8 mi) | Truss arch (steel) | Road bridge St. Marys River |
1962 | Sault Ste. Marie | Ontario United States |
|
| Saint John Harbour Bridge | Beam (steel) | New Brunswick Route 1 Saint John River |
1968 | Saint John | New Brunswick | |||
| Centennial Bridge | 1180 m (3870 ft) | Arch (steel through arch) | New Brunswick Route 8, 11 and 134 Miramichi River |
1967 | Miramichi | New Brunswick |
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Old Bridges Over the Niagara River
The Niagara River has been a busy place for bridges for a long time, connecting Canada and the United States. While some old bridges are still in use (like the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge, Rainbow Bridge, and Lewiston–Queenston Bridge), many others were built and later replaced or destroyed. Here's a look at some of those older crossings:
| Name | Main Span | Total Length | Type | Note | Opened | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge taken down in 1855 |
232 m (761 ft) | Suspension (wooden pylons) This was the very first bridge to cross the Niagara River. It was designed by Charles Ellet Jr. and later replaced. |
1848 | Niagara Falls, Ontario– Niagara Falls, New York |
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| First Lewiston–Queenston Bridge destroyed by wind in 1864 |
257 m (843 ft) | 317 m (1040 ft) | Suspension | 1854 | Queenston–Lewiston | ||
| Second Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge taken down in 1897 |
251 m (823 ft) | Suspension (with cable-stays, two levels) This was the world's first working railway suspension bridge. It was designed by John A. Roebling and later replaced by the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge. |
1855 | Niagara Falls, Ontario– Niagara Falls, New York |
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| First Niagara Clifton Bridge destroyed by storm in 1889 |
386 m (1266 ft) | Suspension (with cable-stays, wooden deck) It had the longest span in the world when it opened. Designed by Samuel Keefer. |
1868 | Niagara Falls, Ontario– Niagara Falls, New York |
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| Niagara Cantilever Bridge taken down in 1925 |
151 m (495 ft) | 276 m (906 ft) | Cantilever This bridge was replaced by the Michigan Central Railway Bridge. |
1883 | Niagara Falls, Ontario– Niagara Falls, New York |
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| Honeymoon Bridge destroyed by ice in 1938 |
256 m (840 ft) | 378 m (1240 ft) | Arch (steel deck arch) It had the longest arch bridge span in the world when it opened. |
1898 | Niagara Falls, Ontario– Niagara Falls, New York |
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| Second Lewiston–Queenston Bridge taken down in 1963 |
257 m (843 ft) | 257 m (843 ft) | Suspension This bridge was actually the former Second Niagara Clifton Bridge, moved to this new location. |
1899 | Queenston–Lewiston | ||
| Michigan Central Railway Bridge not used since 2001 |
195 m (640 ft) | Arch (steel deck arch) | 1925 | Niagara Falls, Ontario– Niagara Falls, New York |
Images for kids
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Logo of the Canadian Register of Historic Places
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List of bridges in Canada Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.