The federal government says the first segment of its proposed high-speed rail project would connect Montreal and Ottawa.
The high-speed project, which was announced in February, would connect Toronto and Quebec City with trains travelling at speeds of up to 300 kilometres per hour, and spanning around 1,000 kilometres.
In an update on Friday, Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon said the first segment of the network will run between Ottawa and Montreal, which is around 200 kilometres. Construction is set to begin in 2029.
Alto, the Crown corporation responsible for the project, will begin a three-month consultation process on the first segment in January 2026.
“Beginning in January 2026, Alto will begin a comprehensive three-month consultation process. Through open houses, virtual sessions, and an online platform, Canadians will have multiple opportunities to share their views on the corridor under study,” a government release states.
MacKinnon said building the Montreal–Ottawa segment first will allow teams in Quebec and Ontario to start working at the same time.
The federal government has not made a final decision approving funding for the entire project.
Alto CEO Martin Imbleau said the high-speed rail project could create 50,000 jobs during construction.
The federal government has said that the Alto High-Speed Rail project will be one of Canada’s largest infrastructure investments in decades.
“Building the first high-speed rail network in Canada will turbocharge our economy, create well-paying jobs, support Canadian businesses and industry while delivering to Canadians the transportation system deserving of a major economy.”
In November, the federal budget the promised new legislation to accelerate development of the project.
