The following is the press release about high-speed rail from the Government of Canada.
The Toronto-Quebec City corridor is a megaregion. It’s home
to 18 million people, 40 per cent of our GDP, over 700,000 students,
and more than 30 colleges and universities. This dynamic hub needs a
transportation system that gets people from city to city, in the fastest time
possible.
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced that
Canada is developing a high-speed rail network in the Toronto-Quebec City
corridor. This transformative rail network will span approximately
1,000 km and reach speeds of up to 300 km/hour, with stops in
Toronto, Peterborough, Ottawa, Montréal, Laval, Trois-Rivières, and Quebec
City. Once operational, current travel times will be slashed in half – getting
you from Montréal to Toronto in three hours. The official name of this
high-speed rail service will be Alto.
A country that believes in itself invests in its people and
infrastructure. As Canada’s largest ever infrastructure project, high-speed
rail will turbocharge the Canadian economy – boosting GDP by up to
$35 billion annually, creating over 51,000 good-paying jobs during
construction, and unlocking enhanced productivity for decades to come. By
connecting economic hubs at rapid speed, businesses will have more markets to
sell to and workers will have more job opportunities. Electrified, high-speed
rail will also help Canada reduce its emissions and meet its climate targets.
By giving travellers an efficient and reliable option to get around, we will
save Canadians time when they travel, boost tourism, connect communities, and
spur affordable housing development across the region.
Cadence has been carefully selected to not only co-design
and build, but also to finance, operate, and maintain this
project. Cadence is a consortium of world-renowned companies with
expertise and know-how in the design, development, and operation of large-scale
transportation infrastructure. Cadence will collaborate and support Alto
as work begins on detailed design, Indigenous consultations, land acquisition,
and the environmental assessments necessary to enable construction.
This decision is the result of years of careful
deliberations and de-risking, as well as meaningful investment from the
Government of Canada.
Canada is the ninth-largest economy in the world and
Canadians deserve the best transportation options. We have world-class talent,
critical minerals, natural resources, a dynamic technology ecosystem, and an
ambition to grow. High-speed rail in our most populated corridor is our
ambition in action. Alongside investing in high-speed rail, we are also
creating more jobs with bigger paycheques, fast-tracking new affordable homes,
and protecting Canadian interests.
Quotes on High-Speed Rail
“Canada is getting high-speed rail. 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. Montréal to Toronto in three
hours – you can’t beat that.”
The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada
“Today’s announcement will put passengers first, with
dedicated tracks between Toronto and Quebec City passing through Peterborough,
Ottawa, Montréal, Laval, and Trois-Rivières. 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.”
The Hon. Anita Anand, Minister of Transport and Internal
Trade
“I’m firmly convinced that the way a project is developed is
as crucial as the project itself. 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.”
Martin Imbleau, President and Chief Executive Officer, Alto
Quick Facts
- Canadian
passenger rail service currently runs on tracks owned by freight rails,
which limits the frequency of the service they offer and leads to delays.
- To
address these challenges, the Government of Canada has been advancing
better passenger rail since 2016.
- 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.
- Budget 2022
launched an innovative, rigorous procurement process that brought in
world-class rail companies. A Request for Expressions of Interest was
completed in October 2022, the Request for Qualifications in July 2023,
and as part of the Request for Proposals (RFP), three world-class
consortiums (bidders) submitted their final bid submissions in 2024.
- The procurement
was completed on budget and was overseen by a fairness monitor.
- In
November 2022, the Government of Canada created a Crown corporation, VIA
HFR (now Alto), to provide oversight of this project.
- Alto
and Cadence will be signing a contract setting out the terms of the next
phase of the project – its co-development.
Great news!
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