Toronto area could get two high-speed rail stations — not just one — says Alto CEO

The Front Bench panel discusses Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's recent criticisms of the proposed Alto high-speed rail project.

MONTREAL — The head of the country’s high-speed rail project says the Greater Toronto Area could be home to two stations rather than one as previously planned.

In an interview with The Canadian Press, Alto chief executive Martin Imbleau said the GTA “will probably require a secondary station,” though no final decision has been made.

He says the station would likely sit in a nearby suburb, attracting more passengers from the surrounding region and allowing access to the line while construction on the costlier final leg into downtown Toronto is completed.

So far, the federal government has mandated seven stops: Toronto, Peterborough, Ottawa, Laval, Que., Montreal, Trois-Rivières, Que., and Quebec City.

The proposed network would host 72 trains a day running on dedicated electric tracks at speeds breaching 300 km/h, slashing current travel times.

However, the project has garnered backlash from a grassroots coalition of farmers and small-town residents as well as the federal Conservatives, who say the rail corridor would cleave communities and offer locals few benefits while costing taxpayers billions of dollars.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 30, 2026.

Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press