Pathway behind Parliament Hill officially reopens after four years of closures
The NCC says the renewal project will ensure the space will withstand the impacts of climate change.
By Natasha Baldin, Ottawa Citizen
Published Jul 21, 2026 | Last updated 21 hours ago
After four years of restoration-related closures, the Ottawa River pathway behind Parliament Hill has officially reopened to the public.
The pathway originally closed in 2022 as the National Capital Commission and its federal partners completed major rehabilitation work along the pathway to help the public space withstand the impacts of climate change.
This included stabilizing the escarpment behind the Supreme Court of Canada and removing the tunnel section of the pathway, the NCC said in a news release.
“These investments were essential to protecting public safety, strengthening climate resilience and ensuring long-term access to one of the capital’s most valued active transportation routes,” the release stated.
The pathway connects to more than 200 kilometres of other paths across the Ottawa-Gatineau, Gatineau Park and Greenbelt regions. It also provides direct access to the East Wharf dock, which opened for swimming for the first time this summer.
Walkers, runners and cyclists alike will also be able to enjoy the newly constructed 2SLGBTQIA+ national monument nearby, which “commemorates the historic discrimination experienced by 2SLGBTQI+ people in Canada, including during the LGBT Purge,” the NCC said.
https://ottawacitizen.com/news/pathway-parliament-hill-officially-reopens-ncc
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