The federal government is moving ahead with plans for high-speed rail between Toronto and Quebec City.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Transport Minister Anita Anand revealed the details at a press conference on February 19th.
“Today’s announcement of Alto, a high-speed rail system between Toronto and Quebec City, will transform our economy – drastically shortening commute times for millions of Canadians, turbocharging economic growth, creating thousands of good-paying jobs, improving productivity, and reducing emissions,” said Trudeau.
The planned rail network will span approximately 1,000 kilometres and reach up to 300 kilometres an hour. There will be stops in Toronto, Peterborough, Ottawa, Montreal, Laval, Trois-Rivieres and Quebec City. The government says the new system will cut travel times in half, allowing travellers to move between Montreal to Toronto in three hours. The official name of the high-speed rail service will be Alto.
“Montréal to Toronto in three hours – you can’t beat that,” said Trudeau.
The project is expected to provide 50,000-plus jobs over 10 years, resulting in a sustained 1.1 per cent increase in Canada’s GDP. The new high-speed rail will also help Canada reduce its emissions and meet its climate targets, the federal government said.
“Today’s announcement will put passengers first, with dedicated tracks between Toronto and Quebec City passing through Peterborough, Ottawa, Montréal, Laval, and Trois-Rivières,” said Anita Anand, Minister of Transport and Internal Trade. “This will cut train travel times in half. It will promote growth in regional economies and reduce emissions at the same time. It’s a nation-building project we can all be proud of.”
Cadence, the company selected to develop the rail network, is a consortium companies specializing in the design, development and operation of large-scale transportation infrastructure. In a news release, the federal government stated that it is working with Cadence to not only co-design and build, but also to finance, operate, and maintain this project. Cadence will collaborate and support Alto as work begins on detailed design, Indigenous consultations, land acquisition, and the environmental assessments necessary to enable construction.
“I’m firmly convinced that the way a project is developed is as crucial as the project itself,” said Martin Imbleau, President and Chief Executive Officer of Alto. “Which is why we are developing it now, in collaboration with Cadence, relying on the best practices of the industry. We have assembled a unique group of talents, combining the know-how of a federal Crown corporation with the experience of a consortium of world-class private partners. Together, we will build a project that will surpass the highest expectations of Canadians.”
Air Canada is part of the Cadence team that submitted a proposal for the rail project.
“We are proud to be part of Cadence, the preferred private developer partner of the Alto project, as it will enable us to contribute to the positive economic impact of the project and its integration with the entire air transport ecosystem for the benefit of all travelers in Canada,” said Michael Rousseau, President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada. “Air Canada already offers connections with other modes of transport, such as train or bus, in Canada, Europe and Asia, to extend its network and provide its customers with convenient and more sustainable travel options around the world.”
Canada’s investment in the co-development phase of the project represents $3.9 billion over six years, starting in 2024-25. This is in addition to the $371.8 million that was provided in Budget 2024.
