FINA - Bill C-15, An Act to Implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on November 4, 2025 - February 02, 2026

5. Questions and Answers on Overall HSR Project

Questions and Answers

Appearance on Bill C-15 at Standing House Committee on Finance (FINA)

Bill C-15 Overview

1. Why and how does Bill C-15 affect the expropriation process?

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

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

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

b. Bill C-15 in the context of Mirabel

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

c. General Project Information

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

16. What will happen to VIA Rail?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

24. How much will this project cost?

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