10. High-Speed Rail – Questions and Answers

Given its nature as a linear infrastructure project as well as its magnitude and complexity, acquiring lands for the high-speed rail (HSR) initiative will pose unique challenges, including:

High volume of land transactions: Thousands of parcels of land will need to be permanently or temporarily acquired across two provinces and through hundreds of municipalities and cities.
Tight and reduced timelines: The Government has set ambitious timelines for the start of the construction and acquiring lands in a timely manner is essential to meeting those timelines.

Transport Canada anticipates that expropriation will be an essential tool to acquire the necessary lands. Legislative measures adjusting the process outlined in the Expropriation Act to address some of the challenges are being proposed:

Removal of prerequisite for expropriation requests: Alto will not need to prove unsuccessful attempts to purchase land before seeking expropriation, ensuring timely requests to the Minister of Transport can be made.
Removal of Governor in Council approval: The Minister of Public Works and Government Services will be able to commence the expropriation process on the basis of the opinion of the Minister of Transport.
Abbreviated public notices: Notices of Intention to Expropriate will still be registered in their entirety, but for publication in the Canada Gazette and newspaper, it will be possible to publish them in an abbreviated form, focusing on essential information such as the location and details of the registration at the office of the registrar for the county, district or registration division in which the land is situated.
Digital notifications: Allow certain expropriation-related notices to be sent via e-mail.
Public hearings: The requirement to hold a public hearing if an objection to a contemplated expropriation has been received will not apply in the context of the initiative. A person may still object to an intended expropriation in writing.
Extended decision periods: The timeline for confirming expropriations will be extended from 120 days to two years as expropriation processes will be done for large bundles of parcels of lands and given the size and scope of the project, sufficient time is needed for the successful completion of each process.
Fair appraisal rules: Any unauthorized work after a Notice of Prohibition on Work has been registered will not be taken into account when determining any increase in value of the expropriated interest or right.

2. Why and how does Bill C-15 affect the impact assessment process?

Through the High-Speed Rail Network Act, Canada has brought forward legislative measures that are necessary to enable an efficient and timely delivery of the HSR initiative. The measures in the Act are considered “pre-conditions” to the successful implementation of the initiative as they are essential to increase efficiencies and provide greater clarity and certainty around regulatory processes required.

One measure requires that each segment of the HSR network will be subject to the Impact Assessment Act, no matter how much new right-of-way it has. A second measure clarifies that land acquisition decisions made under an Act of Parliament for the HSR initiative can be made in parallel to the impact assessment process despite the prohibition under section 8 of the Impact Assessment Act. However, construction on these lands would not begin until required Impact Assessment approvals have been obtained.

3. How are provinces being engaged on Bill C-15?

Transport Canada has taken a proactive approach to engaging both Québec and Ontario on Bill C-15, recognizing the importance of collaboration in areas of shared responsibility.

Now that the proposed HSR Network Act has been introduced in Parliament and is publicly available, Transport Canada is informing Quebec and Ontario through bilateral discussions to outline the objectives of the legislation, share information, and hear their views on the implementation.

These discussions will allow Transport Canada to better understand regional considerations and to ensure that implementation approaches, if the bill is adopted, are practical and coordinated.

This engagement is ongoing and complements broader federal-provincial collaboration, reflecting Transport Canada’s commitment to working constructively with provinces while respecting their jurisdiction.

The measures to advance HSR follow an approach well-established for other major infrastructure projects in both Ontario and Quebec, with similar frameworks found in the Building Transit Faster Act, the Act Respecting Expropriation, and the Act Respecting the Réseau Électrique Métropolitain.

4. What are the impacts of expropriation on agricultural lands, particularly for farmers, crop yields, and fair compensation?

Large linear infrastructure projects such as high-speed rail can have impacts on agricultural lands and farming operations. The Government of Canada recognizes these risks and the importance of addressing them early, transparently, and collaboratively. For this reason, early engagement with agricultural associations in Québec and Ontario is a key element of the approach, with the objective of identifying concerns in advance and minimizing impacts wherever possible.

Within this context, Alto has developed a Land Acquisition Strategy to guide how lands required for the High-Speed Rail network will be identified, accessed, and acquired. Within this strategy, the Agricultural Lands workstream is specifically focused on minimizing impacts on agricultural operations while building respectful, long-term relationships with farmers, landowners, and agricultural communities. Alto recognizes that agricultural lands represent not only economic value, but also livelihoods, heritage, and intergenerational stewardship. Therefore, engagement with these stakeholders is grounded in respect, transparency, and a commitment to minimizing, mitigating, or avoiding impacts wherever feasible.

Alto’s approach emphasizes early and sustained dialogue to understand concerns, including operational and technical challenges, and to collaboratively develop mitigation measures. The strategy prioritizes fair, transparent, and durable agreements, and explicitly seeks to foster negotiated outcomes, with expropriation used only when a negotiated settlement cannot be achieved. Clear compensation principles are being developed to ensure consistency, predictability, and fairness across jurisdictions.

In Québec, Alto is engaging with the Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA) and is negotiating a framework agreement to establish shared principles related to access, drainage, permissions to enter, and compensation. This framework approach reflects established industry practice for large linear infrastructure projects and is intended to support fair and workable outcomes before engaging directly with affected landowners. In Ontario, Alto is engaging with agricultural organizations through early dialogue, information-sharing, and issue-specific collaboration to build relationships and mutual understanding.

Bill C-15 in the context of Mirabel

5. Does Bill C-15 remove public hearings for citizens affected by expropriation?

I would like to make some clarifications on this question and provide context.

Bill C-15 does not remove the right of citizens to raise objections in relation to a proposed expropriation. Any person who considers themselves adversely affected by the expropriation may submit written objections, which the Minister is required to take into account in decision-making and to provide written reasons (upon request) when confirming the expropriation.

While Bill C-15 does not provide public hearings, it establishes a formal and structured administrative process through which any person can oppose an expropriation before it proceeds. This written-objection mechanism ensures that concerns are formally received, considered, and documented, while avoiding procedural delays that are not well-suited to large, linear infrastructure projects.

This approach is consistent with established practices in Ontario and Quebec for major infrastructure projects, which do not require public hearings prior to expropriation. Bill C-15 therefore aligns the federal framework with proven provincial models that balance procedural fairness with efficiency for projects of this scale.

6. In the context of recent feedback from residents and elected representatives in Mirabel, how will Transport Canada assess whether public consultation obligations are met?

Alto has a comprehensive communication strategy in place. The corridor alignment that was published is preliminary and is intended to support early-stage consultation. Another round of consultation is planned for the end of the year.

Alto has kept me and my officials informed of the communication strategy and there will be meaningful opportunities to provide input.

We acknowledge the concerns that have been raised regarding Mirabel.

I have asked Alto to ensure that the City of Mirabel, local elected officials, landowners, and residents continued to be appropriately consulted and informed as the project moves forward.

7. Could you describe the transparency requirements and federal oversight of Alto, particularly for consultation?

Alto is a Crown corporation that was created by the federal government to advance a complex, multi-year infrastructure project, and it operates within a clear governance and accountability framework.

Alto is accountable to Parliament, through me as Minister of Transport, and is subject to regular oversight by Transport Canada, as well as to existing federal requirements related to transparency, financial management, and public reporting. In addition, Alto’s work on alignments and consultations is being carried out in a pre-decision phase, where information is shared specifically to seek feedback and inform future decisions.

As Minister, I have been clear that Alto must engage openly with affected communities and proceed with caution, particularly in sensitive areas such as Mirabel. No final decisions have been taken, and the Government of Canada will continue to ensure that the project is developed in a transparent and accountable manner.

8. Given Mirabel’s history with federal expropriation, how is Transport Canada factoring that context into the consultation and planning process?

We are very mindful of Mirabel’s unique history with infrastructure development and its social and economic impacts.

That historical context is one of the reasons the Minister has been clear with Alto that consultations must be conducted thoughtfully and deliberately, and include direct, tailored engagement with residents and stakeholders before any alignment decisions are finalized.

9. How are elected officials and residents in Mirabel being consulted?

Alto’s approach is based on listening, dialogue, and ongoing information-sharing with citizens and partners throughout the project development process.

In advance of launching its public consultations, Alto conducted multiple meetings,communications, site visits, and formal exchanges with key stakeholders, including municipalities, regional county municipalities (MRCs), the Government of Quebec, and the Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA).

More specifically, Alto has been in discussions since fall 2025 with the MRCs of Mirabel, Argenteuil, and Deux-Montagnes, as well as with the cities of Mirabel and Saint-Eustache. These exchanges are part of an ongoing engagement process intended to inform stakeholders early and to support broader public consultations, which are now underway.

10. Can you explain Bill C-15 and email communications? Can an owner be expropriated by email?

The mechanism to give effect to expropriation is outlined in the Act and takes legal effect through publication in the Gazette and registration in the land registry.

Expropriation is not carried out by email.

The use of “email” is available to facilitate communications with landowners where discussions with property owners have already begun and where owners have indicated their preferred method of communication, whether by email or registered mail.

Registered mail remains fully available at all times.

Prior to expropriation, contact with landowners may occur only in limited circumstances, such as where a Right of First Refusal or a Prohibition on Work applies and the owner has already indicated communication preferences. This is when the landowner may have the possibility to provide his email and consent to receive communications by email instead of registered mail. Otherwise, registered mail remains the default. For a landowner who has not expressed this preference or who did not have the chance to do so, the notices will be sent to them by registered mail.

This is an administrative modernization, intended to ensure timely and transparent communication while respecting landowners’ preferences, not to diminish the seriousness of the process.

11. Does Bill C-15 prevent farmers from continuing to operate on agricultural land by imposing “prohibitions on work”?

Farmers can continue to operate on their land.

A Prohibition on Work does not prevent landowners from continuing to use or operate their land, including ongoing agricultural activities. It only prohibits the undertaking of new works, except work to prevent normal deterioration or normal repairs or ongoing work.

The Prohibition of Work will only apply to a reduced number of parcels that are paramount for the initiative and where there are no other alternatives.

The measure is temporary and targeted.

It prevents works that could artificially increase land value or create irreversible changes, which could significantly increase project costs and ultimately impact taxpayers.

Similar mechanisms already exist in Québec, notably the “réserve pour fins publiques” under Québec’s Expropriation Act. Bill C-15 reflects these established practices.

12. Does Bill C-15 prevent landowners from selling their land or dictate sale prices through a “Right of First Refusal”?

That statement requires clarification.

Bill C-15 does not prevent landowners from selling their property, and it does not allow the federal government to dictate land values. The measure being referenced is a Right of First Refusal. This means that landowners remain free to sell their property on the market; if they accept an offer, Alto may choose to purchase the property at the price in the offer. It does not force a sale, does not set prices, and does not prevent transactions.

The Right of First Refusal is not automatic and will only apply to a reduced number of parcels upon registration of a notice by Alto.

This measure is consistent with practices in Québec.

13. Will people in Mirabel living within the broad corridor identified by Alto receive additional consultation?

Alto has begun the engagement process for the wider corridor to ensure that we benefit from the views of landowners, neighbors, and local stakeholders. This will allow Alto to explore different options to reduce potential impacts.

In summer 2026, Alto will publish a summary of feedback collected during consultations, ensuring transparency and responsiveness.

A second round of consultations will take place in the fall/winter to present the refined alignment to the public and gather feedback to finalize the route.

The objective is to define the final alignment in the most efficient way possible—providing certainty to property owners while fully taking their feedback into account.

14. Why is it that a large portion of the corridor being proposed is now going through Mirabel instead of elsewhere?

During the Request for Proposals (RFP) Phase, Transport Canada invited three bidders to propose the best options where service would be provided to seven key cities (Toronto, Peterborough, Ottawa, Laval, Montreal, Trois-Rivière, and Québec City). The three bids provided solutions that shaped what Alto is now proposing for feedback.

A Multi-Criteria Approach was used to weigh the many aspects that needed to be considered for the best possible option, which would represent a viable option based on the information gathered throughout the RFP process.

The 10‑km‑wide corridor, being presented for consultation, is the result of this work and goes through communities like Mirabel.

We are very mindful of Mirabel’s unique history with infrastructure development and its social and economic impacts. Land acquisition will be limited to what is directly required for the project. Willing buyer – willing seller negotiations will be prioritized and expropriation will be used as last resort only.

Public consultation is a space for meaningful dialogue—one where community insights help shape the project before decisions are finalized. Feedback, ideas, priorities, and concerns brought forward throughout this process can directly support the development of the alignment and the broader integration of the project into local communities.

As we advance through the Co-Development Phase with Alto, Cadence, and the Government of Canada, efforts will focus on refining and optimizing the proposed network. This work will include extensive Indigenous consultation, stakeholder engagement, design work, and the impact assessment process.

General Project Information

15. What are the impacts on VIA Rail service levels? Will Local Services be maintained?

Transferring VIA Rail’s Québec–Windsor Corridor operations to the High-Speed Rail (HSR) Initiative’s private partner supports the creation of a single, integrated passenger rail network in Canada’s busiest travel corridor. This approach avoids the duplication of services within the same corridor and ensures that rail services are planned and delivered in a coordinated, efficient, and passenger-centric way.

Having one operator for both the Existing VIA Corridor Services and future high-speed rail services also allows for better coordination of schedules, fares, service levels, and infrastructure use. It enables economies of scale and more efficient use of public investments, helping ensure that services are financially sustainable over the long term while meeting the needs of travellers.

The Government of Canada remains committed to supporting the continuity of local and regional passenger rail services in the Quebec-Windsor Corridor, and to ensuring that these services are maintained as the rail network evolves, including continued service to communities currently served by VIA Rail.

16. What will happen to VIA Rail?

Following the transfer of VIA Rail’s Québec–Windsor Corridor operations into the Alto HSR Initiative, VIA Rail will no longer operate or provide passenger rail services within the Quebec-Windsor Corridor. VIA Rail will continue to serve communities outside the Quebec-Windsor Corridor by operating long-distance, transcontinental and regional passenger rail services nationwide, complementing Alto’s future services in the Corridor.

17. What is the Indigenous Relations Strategy, including timelines and roles for consultation?

The participation of Indigenous Peoples is essential to the success of the high-speed rail initiative. Alto is leading consultation and engagement activities on behalf of the Crown to fulfill the Crown’s duty to consult under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, and, where appropriate, accommodate in the development of this initiative. It has developed a comprehensive Indigenous Relations Strategy for the high-speed rail initiative, aimed at building relationships, fulfilling the Crown’s duty to consult, creating socio-economic benefits, and creating legacy and financial participation opportunities.

Alto has been and will continue to consult Indigenous communities and organizations within the HSR corridor on the decisions that may affect them, on an ongoing basis. In 2026, these discussions may focus on elements such as the HSR corridor and process to select the indicative alignment, field studies, and the development of required documentation to formally initiate impact assessment and other regulatory processes. As the lead for consultations, Alto is also working with TC and other federal entities (including the Impact Assessment Agency and Crown-Indigenous Relations) to ensure a whole of government approach to Crown consultation.

Refer to Alto for further information.

18. What is the first segment and when will construction begin?

The first segment will be from Ottawa to Laval and Montreal. Construction is expected to begin in 2029, following an accelerated four-year planning and approvals phase.

The alignment (route) has not yet been finalized. A broad corridor has been identified in which the future High-Speed Rail network can be built. Key data, including comments from Indigenous Peoples, communities, provinces, municipalities, and industry, is still being gathered.

The Government of Canada is supportive of Alto’s approach to consultation and alignment development. On January 21, 2026, Alto launched its first corridor-wide public consultation in the Toronto to Québec city corridor. The feedback from this consultation will be used, along with other factors, to help choose the recommended alignment and station locations, which will then be submitted to the Minister of Transport for approval. In due time, Alto will share the recommended alignment publicly.

Refer to Alto for further information.

19. How will the High-Speed Rail (HSR) initiative increase connectivity in the Corridor?

The Toronto to Quebec City corridor is one the most densely populated regions in Canada. The growing populations and economies of Ontario and Quebec will increase demand for all modes of transportation, including passenger rail. HSR will enhance connectivity in the Corridor by:

Providing a substantially faster service with more frequent departures;
Enhancing connections between major employment hubs, business centres, post-secondary institutions, and major tourism destinations;
Separating passenger and freight rail to increase capacity in the transportation network, while also reducing congestion on highways and airports;
Improving integration with other modes of transportation;
Serving new communities, e.g., Peterborough, Laval and Trois-Rivières; and,
Improving reliability, so that trains leave and arrive on time.

20. How can we justify such a large investment in only two provinces? Does this Initiative help people outside of Ontario and Quebec?

The Initiative provides benefits to all Canadians in three key areas:

Economic benefits: The Corridor is the largest economic region in the country, with business linkages across Canada. Improving productivity in this region will support economic growth for Canada as a whole. The Initiative will have national economic benefits due to its size and potential to support new and existing supply chains.
Reductions in greenhouse gas emissions: this Initiative is a step toward reducing the impact of transportation on climate change, making an important contribution to Canada’s national emission-reduction goals.
Experience and standards: developing this Initiative will generate valuable experience and set new standards for rail projects, which can be used in other transportation corridors, like Calgary-Edmonton and Vancouver-Seattle. By demonstrating innovative approaches to project delivery, this Initiative can reduce development costs and lower barriers for future projects.

21. How many stations will be built and where will they be located?

Canada has identified seven mandatory High-Speed Rail stations: Toronto, Peterborough, Ottawa, Montreal, Laval, Trois-Rivières, and Quebec City.

During the Co-Development Phase with Alto, Cadence, and the Government of Canada, efforts will focus on refining and optimizing the proposed network. This work will include extensive Indigenous consultation, stakeholder engagement, design work, and the impact assessment process.

22. What will be the role of the Private Developer Partner?

The Private Developer Partner, Cadence, is now collaborating with Alto in the development and design of the High-Speed Rail (HSR) Initiative. During the Co-Development Phase, Cadence and Alto are jointly responsible for advancing the Initiative through a broad set of planning, design, assessment, engagement, and preparatory activities required to move the project towards construction.

This work includes early ramp-up and validation of development plans, initial stakeholder engagement, reassessing Co-Development Phase requirements, advancing Impact Assessment activities, identifying and sequencing network segments (city-pairs), progressing segment designs to inform future government decisions, negotiating the Network Agreement and individual Segment Agreements, and preparing for transition into the Execution phase on a per-Segment basis once Canada has made a Final Investment Decision.

As part of this work, Cadence and Alto are responsible for advancing the following key objectives, but is not an exhaustive list:

determine the alignment and sequencing of phases in the railway network;
advance the impact assessment process to enable positive decisions for each part of the Initiative, such as a city-pair project phase;
advance design up to 50%;
establish accurate schedule and target cost for each city pair;
finalize land acquisition activities; and
obtain regulatory approvals to begin work.

In parallel with these objectives, Cadence and Alto continue engagement with Indigenous Peoples and stakeholders and undertake supporting planning and preparatory activities needed to advance regulatory processes and position the Initiative for construction. This work supports Canada’s assessment of whether to proceed to the Execution (construction) phase.

23. What is the Co-Development Phase, timeline, and cost?

On March 19, 2025, the Co-Development Phase commenced, with the signature of the pre-development agreement between Alto and Cadence. This phase will include engineering and design details, Indigenous consultations, land acquisition, and the necessary environmental assessments prior to starting the Execution Phase (construction, operations and maintenance).

Beginning in 2024-2025, $3.9 billion was publicly announced for the first five-year period of the Co-Development Phase. This is in addition to the $371.8 million that was provided in Budget 2024.

24. How much will this project cost?

The total capital costs of the initiative are not yet determined, as the scope is being defined during the Co-Development phase. Preliminary cost estimates for the initiative's construction, which would be funded primarily by the Government of Canada with private sector contributions, range between $60 billion and $90 billion (in 2024 real dollars). These Class 5 estimates were developed for business planning purposes only and do not represent a final budget.

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