The Canadian government has launched a $3.9 billion design and development plan for a high-speed rail network that will connect Quebec City and Toronto. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the six-year project, named Alto, calling it the largest infrastructure project in Canadian history. Once completed, the all-electric trains will travel at speeds of up to 300 km/h, reducing travel time between Montreal and Toronto to just three hours—half the time it takes by car.
The 1,000-kilometer rail network will include stops in Toronto, Peterborough, Ottawa, Montreal, Laval, Trois-Rivières, and Quebec City. The government projects the railway will boost GDP by up to $35 billion annually and create over 51,000 jobs during construction. However, construction will not begin until after the four-to-five-year design phase, leaving future governments the possibility of modifying or canceling the project.
A consortium named Cadence has been selected to lead the design and construction, with contracts expected to be signed in the coming weeks. While the estimated cost of the full project could reach $80 billion, the government hopes this initial investment will lay the foundation for a modern, sustainable, and efficient transportation network in Canada’s most populated corridor.