The bridge was of a relatively new type, known as a cantilever, which had become quite fashionable. Although it was only slightly longer than the highly successful cantilever bridge over the Forth River near Edinburgh, Scotland, the Quebec Bridge was so inadequately designed that it collapsed before it was completed.
1907年，加拿大魁北克附近的圣劳伦斯河上落成了全球最长的拱桥。该桥采用了比较新颖的悬臂构造，这样的结构非常流行。尽管只比苏格兰爱丁堡福斯河上非常成功的悬臂大桥稍长一点，但魁北克大桥存在设计问题，还未完工就坍塌了。