Federal budget promises legislation to accelerate Alto high-speed rail project

Advertisement

Advertise with us

MONTREAL - The federal budget promises new legislation to accelerate development of the Alto high-speed rail project.

Read this article for free:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Monthly Digital Subscription

$0 for the first 4 weeks*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles

*No charge for 4 weeks then price increases to the regular rate of $19.00 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

Monthly Digital Subscription

$4.75/week*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles

*Billed as $19 plus GST every four weeks. Cancel any time.

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional

$1 for the first 4 weeks*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles
Start now

No thanks

*Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $16.99 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $23.99 plus GST every four weeks.

MONTREAL – The federal budget promises new legislation to accelerate development of the Alto high-speed rail project.

Tabled Tuesday, the budget says legislative changes will streamline approvals and reduce regulatory uncertainty for the planned high-speed rail line between Toronto and Quebec City. 

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced in September that the government would speed up engineering and regulatory work on the project to get construction underway within four years. 

A Via Rail train is seen on tracks in Dorval, Que., as it heads out of Montreal on Friday, May 23, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi
A Via Rail train is seen on tracks in Dorval, Que., as it heads out of Montreal on Friday, May 23, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi

The project, announced in February, would take passengers from Montreal to Toronto in just three hours on trains travelling up to 300 kilometres an hour.

The budget also says Alto will be subject to Ottawa’s new “Buy Canadian Policy,” meant to ensure the government uses domestic suppliers. 

It says students, highly educated people and middle-income households are most likely to use the high-speed rail line. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 5, 2025. 

Report Error Submit a Tip

Business

LOAD MORE