QUESTION PERIOD — Transport
High-Speed Rail
October 22, 2026
My question is for the Government Representative. As a senator from Ottawa, I’m very interested in the future of fast and efficient rail through Quebec and Ontario, which includes Ottawa. The Alto project is under consideration for high-speed rail; it is also high-cost and high-disruption. I understand from testimony at the Finance Committee that a final recommendation will go to the Minister of Transport later this year.
Senator Moreau, can you tell us if the Alto project is carved in stone, or is the government prepared to consider alternatives?
The government is committed to the Alto project because, in the view of the government, building the first high-speed rail network in Canada is a generational project that will stimulate our economy, create tens of thousands of good-paying jobs and deliver to Canadians a transportation system deserving of a major economy of the G7.
As I answered Senator MacDonald’s question yesterday, the project will boost GDP by $35 billion annually, create 51,000 jobs and unlock enhanced productivity for generations of Canadians.
So, yes, this is a very important project, and the government is waiting for the last study from Alto to make the final decision.
I would like to urge the government to consider something that is sometimes called high-efficiency rail, which means using the VIA Rail lines — in fact, buying VIA Rail lines so that they would have their own lines — and also ensuring that VIA Rail trains have preference over freight trains, ensuring more efficiency for a strong and improved VIA Rail system.
Would the government consider making VIA Rail a lot more reliable and high-speed instead?
Senator Cardozo, I take your last question as a suggestion, if I understand correctly, and I will certainly bring your message to the Minister of Transport, whom I meet with every Monday.
