Alto says it’s on track to begin construction of the first leg of its proposed high-speed rail network between Ottawa and Montreal in 2029, but residents along the potential route still must wait to learn exactly where the tracks will go. The Crown corporation overseeing the proposed Toronto-Quebec City high-speed rail network says it has moved into the fieldwork phase, conducting alignment studies, testing and geotechnical work while preparing for construction. Alto CEO Martin Imbleau says the company has narrowed the potential corridor between Ottawa and Montreal, but the precise alignment has not yet been finalized. “There’s still some possibility or variation within that narrow corridor of a few hundred metres,” Imbleau said during Alto’s annual public meeting Wednesday. “So, the very precise alignment of 60 to 65 metres will be defined probably around 2027 to be as specific as possible and the geotechnical work is what will define exactly the property that will be required.” Alto says it is also working to reduce the width of the corridor as much as possible to limit the project’s impact on landowners and communities. The uncertainty has been a source of frustration for residents in rural east Ottawa, where, in Navan, signs opposing the project have appeared along roads, in front of homes and near the proposed route, a now multi-use pathway once belonging to CN Rail. “I say no to Alto,” says longtime resident Joanne Antonello. “If they do plan to put the tracks between the trail right behind us, there’s a noise factor. The expropriation of the land, of the houses is one that I’m really concerned about, and just overall cutting off the farmers lands and cutting off roads.” Alto says it expects to provide a more detailed business case to the federal government in 2027. The company’s newly released economic analysis estimates the full project could cost between $60 billion and $90 billion, while supporting about 50,000 jobs during construction and more than 5,000 permanent jobs once the network is operating. Alto estimates the completed network could increase Canada’s annual GDP by about $24.5 billion and carry up to 24 million passengers a year by 2055. The proposed network would connect Toronto, Peterborough, Ottawa, Montreal, Laval, Trois-Rivières and Quebec City. Kingston remains under consideration as an additional stop. Alto board chair Robert Prichard said the company sees a “presumptively strong case” for a Kingston station, but officials are still weighing the potential increase in ridership against longer travel times. If Kingston is added to the corridor, Alto says additional public consultation would be required. Alto says it is continuing to work with municipalities, Indigenous communities, provinces and landowners as it refines the project. Navan resident Larry St Cyr says while he’s not opposed to large scale federal projects, like Alto, he disagrees with its potential cost structure. “I’m sure it’s a great thing to have high-speed rail, but not when you have to borrow billions to do,” he says. “The Liberals are spending money they don’t have. and what they need to do is cut back and start to have a bit of responsibility with our tax dollars.” The Ottawa-Montreal section is expected to take about eight years to build if construction begins in 2029.
