Toronto–Québec high-speed rail to tap Canadian steel

Toronto–Québec high-speed rail is prompting Alto and its private development partner Cadence to start talking early with Canada’s steel producers, as outlined in a recent Alto news release. Through this first round of meetings, the partners want to gauge how the Canadian steel industry can back what is expected to become a major national infrastructure programme.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Domestic procurement and Canadian steel industry engagement

This early outreach fits with the federal government’s intention to prioritise domestic procurement wherever feasible. Within the Alto high-speed rail project, the company plans to source major system components from Canadian suppliers, including several hundred thousand tonnes of steel for track, civil structures, station works and electrical systems.

Don’t miss…NTSB grade-crossing accident investigation in Elgin, Illinois

Over the coming weeks, Alto and Cadence plan to sit down with steel manufacturers across the country. These consultations are meant to give a clearer view of current production levels, room for expansion and potential areas for modernisation. The resulting insights will feed into a procurement strategy designed to support Canadian industry while also strengthening the resilience of domestic supply chains.

Scale of Toronto–Québec high-speed rail steel demand

The project is expected to require more than 4,000 kilometres of rail, alongside substantial volumes of structural steel for bridges, overhead catenary systems and associated works. This level of demand is unusual in Canada’s recent construction history and could prompt steelmakers and related sectors to expand capacity or consider fresh investment to serve the Toronto–Québec City corridor.

Alto’s President & CEO, Martin Imbleau, presents the scheme as a nation-building initiative that will create major opportunities for Canadian businesses. He urges the industry to get involved early, build up capacity and modernise in line with the project’s scale, noting that it ranks among the most complex infrastructure builds in Canadian history and that preparation needs to start now.

Federal support and opportunities for Canadian suppliers

Alto is being developed as Canada’s first high-speed rail network, spanning nearly 1,000 kilometres and designed for operating speeds of around 300 km/h — a project milestone previously highlighted by Railway Supply. The line will link Toronto, Peterborough, Ottawa, Montréal, Laval, Trois-Rivières and Québec City, bringing new connectivity to a large share of the country’s population. Construction is forecast to support tens of thousands of jobs, lift productivity and contribute to national emissions-reduction objectives.

The Government of Canada has identified Alto as an initiative of strategic importance and plans to rely on the Major Projects Office to support its development, following the federal announcement that “Canada is getting high-speed rail” in the Toronto–Québec City corridor by the Prime Minister’s Office. Construction on the Toronto–Québec high-speed rail line is targeted to begin in four years. Pre-procurement work is scheduled to start in 2026, with Alto and Cadence preparing to give prospective suppliers the information they will need to take part in future requests for proposals.

Cadence General Manager Daniel Farina points out that Canada has not seen an infrastructure project of this magnitude in decades. He emphasises that huge quantities of steel will be required and that Alto’s Canadian high-speed rail project represents a massive opportunity for domestic suppliers. Farina calls on Canadian steelmakers to make sure they are ready to respond quickly when procurement for the Toronto–Québec high-speed rail in Canada moves into the formal request-for-proposals phase.

Alto, a Crown corporation, is responsible for delivering the planned high-speed rail network between Toronto and Québec City, covering planning, development and project delivery. Cadence, a Canadian-led multinational consortium with experience in designing, financing, constructing, operating and maintaining large rail infrastructure, continues to support Alto by providing technical and commercial expertise throughout the project’s development.

News on railway transport, industry, and railway technologies from Railway Supply that you might have missed:

Find the latest news of the railway industry in Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union and the rest of the world on our page on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, read Railway Supply magazine online.

Place your ads on webportal and in Railway Supply magazine. Detailed information is in Railway Supply media kit