In short
- The crossing is one of five federal bridges. Alexandra Bridge carries a 27-tonne load limit for all vehicles.
- On 28.10.2026 the federal bridge page listed lane closures on Macdonald-Cartier from 7 August to 30 November.
- One Ottawa firm prices a move to or from the Gatineau side as an outside-Ottawa move: a flat price for the first 3 hours, then hourly rates.
- We found no printed dollar range for Ottawa to Gatineau today, so the price is set after the company hears the details.
A short move with a provincial line
Ottawa and Gatineau face each other across the Ottawa River. A move between them covers a few kilometres, yet it crosses a provincial boundary and a bridge. Wikipedia counts Gatineau at 291,041 residents in 2021. Many moves between them follow a job, such as a posting to an office on the other side. The service page for the usual process is local moving, and the long routes are on long-distance moving.
The bridges
Five federal bridges link the two cities: Alexandra, Macdonald-Cartier, Chaudière, Portage and Champlain. The federal notice lists load restrictions of 27 tonnes for all types of vehicles on Alexandra Bridge, in force since March 2020 until further notice. Ask the company which bridge the loaded truck will use. The notice lists no weight limit for Macdonald-Cartier, Chaudière, Portage or Champlain.
The page dated 28 October 2026 also lists closures. Macdonald-Cartier has lane closures to motorists from 7 August to 30 November. Alexandra has weekend closures from 24 October at 6 am to 8 November at 7 pm. Chaudière has overnight closures from 28 October to 7 November, 8 pm to 5 am. Closures change, so look at the notice again the week before the move and pass the move date to the company.
How crews price the crossing
Companies differ. MIT Moving states that a move to or from the Gatineau side or Clarence-Rockland starts with a flat price for the first three hours, then hourly rates apply. Other companies bill a travel hour or two. The hourly structure in Ottawa is explained in moving cost in Ottawa. We could open no source today that prints a dollar range for an Ottawa to Gatineau move, so the company that calls sets the number after it hears the details.
What differs at the Gatineau address
Streets, driveways and building rules differ from block to block, as they do in Ottawa. Condominium buildings keep their own move-in rules. Send the address and a street photo, and the company can judge the truck size and the carry. Wikipedia gives French as the mother tongue of 71.1% of residents, so a bilingual crew helps when you deal with a caretaker.
Dates
Move-Ottawa’s peak list includes month-end and the Friday before a long weekend. For dates, see timing for a move, July 1 moving day and, in the cold months, winter moving in Ottawa.
On the cross-river quote
Both addresses, the truck and crew size, the dates, how the crossing is billed, the stair, material and disassembly lines, and the total. Ontario wants a written contract for any move over $50, with each price itemized and the payment terms stated. Holding belongings back to demand extra payment is an unfair practice and an offence under Ontario law.
Who crosses the river with you
We hand the request to one independent Ottawa mover. That firm looks at both addresses, prices the crossing and signs the contract with you.
Questions to ask the company
- Which bridge will the truck use, and what do you do if it is closed that day?
- How do you price a cross-river move: a flat start, an extra travel hour or the usual hourly rate?
- Does the crew have any French for the Gatineau building staff?
- Is there a stair, elevator or parking limit at the Gatineau address that changes the hours?
- What does the written estimate list as extra: stairs, packing, materials, disassembly?
Have this ready for the call
- Get the Gatineau building's move-in rules: elevator booking, hours and any deposit.
- Photograph the street and entrance at the Gatineau address, with the width of the driveway if there is one.
- List large items, and say which ones need disassembly.
- Check the federal bridge closure notices for your move date and send the date to the company.
- Keep documents, medication and chargers in a bag that travels with you.
Questions people ask
Which bridge do movers use between Ottawa and Gatineau?
Five federal bridges cross the river. The federal notice lists a 27-tonne limit for all vehicles on Alexandra Bridge and no weight limit on the others. The company that calls picks the bridge and a second option for closure days.
Are the bridges closed on my moving day?
The federal page dated 28.10.2026 lists lane closures on Macdonald-Cartier from 7 August to 30 November, weekend closures on Alexandra from 24 October to 8 November and overnight closures on Chaudière from 28 October to 7 November. Check the page again before your date.
Is a move to Gatineau priced as local or long-distance?
It depends on the company. MIT Moving prices a move to or from the Gatineau side as an outside-Ottawa move, with a flat price for the first three hours and then hourly rates. Other companies add a travel hour. Ask which rule applies.
Do I need a French-speaking crew in Gatineau?
Wikipedia gives French as the mother tongue of 71.1% of Gatineau residents in 2021. Building staff and neighbours may speak French. Ask for a French speaker on the crew in the request, and the company says what it can offer.
Does a federal employee move to a Gatineau office change anything for the movers?
The crew still loads, drives and unloads. A work posting changes your dates and your tax paperwork. CRA’s line 21900 needs the new home to sit at least 40 km closer to the new workplace, so measure the shortest route for your own two addresses before counting on a claim.
Which tax and contract rules apply when the move ends in Québec?
Ontario’s guide asks for a written contract above $50 with an itemized price list. Rules for a Québec lease or Québec taxes sit with the Québec authorities, so ask them directly. Put every price line in the written estimate.