Plans for the Alto high-speed rail corridor moved into market engagement this week as Canada’s Crown corporation Alto and project partner Cadence advanced the proposed passenger route between Toronto, Ontario, and Quebec City, Quebec.

Official Alto high-speed rail project image with a green train on electrified tracks
Official project image of the Alto high-speed rail concept. Photo: Alto

Alto high-speed rail corridor moves into market engagement

The step follows a 100-day public consultation process⁠. After that review, federal officials directed Alto to examine a southern route option and the possible addition of a stop in Kingston, Ontario, Alto said in a press release.

During the consultation, Alto collected and summarized feedback from Canadians, Indigenous communities, municipalities, agricultural producers, landowners, industry representatives, community groups and transportation specialists. Transport Canada said the comments raised important questions about property acquisition and potential impacts on farmland and agricultural operations.

Kingston stop assessment and southern route option

Following the review, Canada’s Minister of Transport Steven MacKinnon directed Alto to prepare a plan for assessing a southern route between Peterborough, Ontario, and Ottawa. That option would include a potential Kingston stop connecting with VIA Rail Canada service.

Archive photo of Kingston VIA Rail station in Ontario
Archive photo of Kingston VIA Rail station in Ontario. Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Michael Nugent / CC BY-SA 2.0

Through the market engagement process⁠, Cadence can outline proposed early procurement activities, expected work packages and timelines for the first construction phase between Ottawa and Montreal, Quebec. Alto will hold information sessions in July.

The Kingston review adds a local dimension to a project that Transport Canada describes as a roughly 1,000 km high-speed rail network between Toronto and Quebec City. According to the agency, the network is planned for speeds of 300 km/h or more, or more than 186 mph, and would connect close to half of Canada’s population. For Kingston, the potential stop would be tied to a shorter Toronto journey of about 90 minutes and could place up to 80% of residents between Peterborough and Ottawa within a 25-minute drive of a station.

Alto is developing what Transport Canada describes as Canada’s first high-speed rail network.