CANADA: The central Ottawa – Montréal section of the Alto high speed rail network will be built first, Steven MacKinnon, Federal Minister of Transport, told the national parliament on December 12.
’This announcement marks an important step forward in delivering faster, cleaner and more connected transportation for Canadians. By working closely with Alto and our partners across governments and communities, we are laying the groundwork for a high-speed rail network that will put Canada firmly on the global map for modern rail innovation—strengthening the economy, creating good jobs and connecting people across this vital corridor’, MacKinnon said.
Canada’s first dedicated high speed rail line is planned to be approximately 1 000 km long, linking Toronto with Québec City via Ottawa and Montréal. It will have a design speed of 300 km/h.
A three-month public consultation process for the route is scheduled to start in early January. Construction of the starter section is expected to begin in 2029.
National planning and regulatory body Transport Canada said in a statement that confirmation of this segment as the first to move forward was ’a recognition of its potential to deliver early benefits to travellers, communities and the economy. Spanning two provinces, this first segment proposes a shorter route, approximately 200 km.’
President & CEO of project promoter Alto, Martin Imbleau, added that ’undertaking one of the biggest infrastructure projects in Canada’s history requires multi-stage planning. Focusing first on the Ottawa – Montréal segment is a logical step to optimise the project, accelerate delivery, and generate tangible local economic benefits. This approach allows us to mobilise teams even more rapidly in both provinces while continuing work on all other segments of the corridor, from Toronto to Québec City. As consultations begin, we look forward to engaging with communities and hearing their perspectives firsthand.’
- On December 9, Alto announced the appointment of Claude Généreux to its Board of Directors with effect from November 12 2025. He has held various senior advisory roles across the financial services, natural resources and energy industries.
- Read a feature article about the strategy underpinning the Alto project in the June 2025 issue of Railway Gazette International.