Farmers, Citizen Groups Call on Federal Government to Scrap Alto High-Speed Rail
The protest is expected to draw hundreds as critics cite forced expropriations and question Alto’s $60 billion to $90 billion cost.
- Hundreds of protesters congregated on Parliament Hill on Wednesday to oppose the federal Alto high-speed rail project, citing concerns regarding land expropriation, high costs, and inadequate government consultation.
- Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre promised to cancel the $90 billion project, calling it a "white elephant," as farmers expressed frustration over receiving notices concerning land expropriation and the government's use of Bill C-15 to streamline the process.
- Farmers across the proposed corridor report their acreage being carved up by Alto land notices, as dairy producer Bruno Proulx from Saint-Placide, Que., warned that rail fencing would cut through farms, forcing 50-kilometre detours to reach fields.
- Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon told reporters Wednesday that the government will proceed with "great sensitivity and respect" for farmers, adding they will continue consulting with communities until a precise route is determined for the infrastructure project.
- Parti Quebecois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon vowed to withdraw Quebec from the project if elected this fall, while critics maintain the project lacks a clear business case and relies on an accelerated timeline despite having no final route.
41 Articles
41 Articles
Farmers, MPs Protest Alto High Speed Rail on Parliament Hill
OTTAWA—Hundreds of protesters travelled to Ottawa to demonstrate against the federal government’s proposed Toronto to Quebec City high-speed rail line, which they say would involve the expropriation of land from farmers and the dividing up of rural communities. Several citizen groups oppose the 1,000-kilometre high-speed rail corridor that would stretch from Toronto, to Ottawa, to Montreal, and to Quebec City. The Alto Crown corporation, which i…
Ontario Farmer
The Alto protest comes to Parliament Hill
OTTAWA – A couple of hours before the Quebec busses of farmers and eastern Ontario pickups were to arrive at Parliament Hill to protest the Alto train project, everything was quiet.
Farmers, citizen groups call on federal government to scrap Alto high-speed rail
The opposition to the proposed Alto high-speed rail line rolled onto Parliament Hill Wednesday afternoon, as opposition politicians, farmers and citizen groups called on the federal government to scrap the proposed line connecting Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City.
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