Alto High-Speed Rail
Sector
Transportation
Location
Toronto-Québec Corridor
Sector
Transportation
Location
Toronto-Québec Corridor
Description
The Alto High-Speed Rail Project is a proposed initiative to build Canada’s first-ever high-speed railway, revolutionizing transportation in the country. This project will span approximately 1,000 km of dedicated and electrified tracks, connecting Toronto to Québec City with trains reaching speeds of up to 300 km/hour. By cutting travel times in half and providing more frequent service, with departures every 30 minutes for certain routes during peak hours, it will link Canada’s most densely populated regions and nearly half of the country’s population.
As the only country in the G7 that does not have high-speed rail, Canada is taking a bold step to address its growing transportation needs.
Description
The Alto High-Speed Rail Project is a proposed initiative to build Canada’s first-ever high-speed railway, revolutionizing transportation in the country. This project will span approximately 1,000 km of dedicated and electrified tracks, connecting Toronto to Québec City with trains reaching speeds of up to 300 km/hour. By cutting travel times in half and providing more frequent service, with departures every 30 minutes for certain routes during peak hours, it will link Canada’s most densely populated regions and nearly half of the country’s population.
As the only country in the G7 that does not have high-speed rail, Canada is taking a bold step to address its growing transportation needs.
Quick facts
- Economic growth: Will provide a lasting increase in GDP of up to 1.1% per year.
- Job creation: Will create up to 51,000 new well-paying jobs over 10 years.
- Passenger capacity: Will serve up to 43 million passengers annually.
- Community connectivity and housing: Will help connect communities and enable the development of 63,000 homes.
- Reduced road traffic: Will remove the equivalent of approximately 100,000 cars from the roads annually.
Benefits
Joining major centres through Canada’s most densely populated areas, this initiative will yield benefits including:
- Housing: Contributing to the housing supply along the route, with a target of 63,000 homes.
- Environment: Providing a sustainable means of travel, with up to 39 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in savings.
- Annual economic benefits: By connecting communities to business hubs, high speed rail will boost productivity, expand labour mobility, and increase Canada’s annual GDP up to 1.1%.
- Investment in Canadian industry supply chains: High-speed rail will prioritize Canadian steel, concrete, ballast and copper, generating opportunities for businesses and suppliers across the country.
- Value for money for Canadians: The project will save taxpayers money by eliminating the current operating subsidy for existing passenger rail services in the Windsor to Québec City Corridor.
- Indigenous engagement: Alto has been leading engagement with approximately 40 Indigenous communities and organizations, particularly related to benefits of sustainable transportation, improved access, and socio-economic benefits.
Latest updates
- In January 2026, Alto launched its public engagement campaign, hosting open houses, a series of themed roundtables and both in-person and virtual information sessions. In summer 2026, Alto will publish a summary of feedback collected during consultations, ensuring transparency and responsiveness. Alto will be undertaking a second round of consultations in 2026 to gather feedback to finalize the route and outline the next steps of the project.
- In December 2025, the Minister of Transport announced that the first segment of the Alto High-Speed Rail Project will run between Ottawa and Montreal, with construction set to begin in 2029.
- In Budget 2025, the government proposed to introduce legislation to accelerate the development of Alto high-speed rail.
- On September 11, 2025, the transformative strategy was referred to the Major Projects Office (MPO).
- Each segment will undergo an impact assessment under the Impact Assessment Act.
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