12 eastern Ontario mayors, reeves sign letter opposing Alto high-speed rail project

Alto, also known as the Toronto–Quebec City High-Speed Rail Network in a rendering (image: Alto)

A dozen mayors and reeves of eastern Ontario municipalities signed a letter on Thursday voicing opposition to the proposed Alto high-speed rail project.

The Alto high-speed rail project would connect Quebec City and Toronto, with seven stops including Ottawa, Peterborough and Montreal. Alto is looking at two routes between Ottawa and Toronto, including the possible southern corridor that would pass through the 12 signing municipalities. The letter calls for “the suspension of any further development plans” for the project.

“The group is calling for a more comprehensive consultation with rural municipalities, as well as a re-evaluation of the project’s feasibility and its environmental and economic impacts,” the letter reads.

The letter’s signees include:

• John Logel, Mayor of Alnwick/Haldimand Township
• Claire Kennelly, Mayor of Tyendinaga
• Jim Harrison, Mayor of City of Quinte West
• Arie Hoogenboom, Mayor of Rideau Lakes Township
• John Wise, Mayor of Stone Mills Township
• Ron Vandewal, Mayor of South Frontenac Township
• Brant Burrow, Mayor of Elizabethtown-Kitley Township
• Michael Cameron, Mayor of Merrickville-Wolford
• Robin Jones, Mayor of the Village of Westport
• Stephen Fournier, Reeve of Township of Drummond/North Elmsley
• Karen Jennings, Reeve of Township of Montague
• Corinna Smith-Gatcke, Mayor of Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands

The high-speed rail project would stretch 1,000 kilometres and come with a price tag of $60 to $90 billion.

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The letter says the project would not benefit the local municipalities, and raises concerns with the expropriation of land, as well as economic, developmental and community disruption.

“We are not opposed to high-speed rail in principle,” Arie Hoogenboom, Mayor of Rideau Lakes Township, said in a statement. “However, we are deeply concerned that the ALTO project will bring significant disruption to our communities with little to no benefits for local residents.”

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The letter was sent to Transportation Minister Steve Mackinnon, as well as MPs representing communities in the proposed southern corridor.

The project’s public consultation period concluded on April 24, and a public consultation report will be published this summer.

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