Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has unveiled plans for a high-speed rail network that will connect Toronto and Quebec City, which he described as the largest infrastructure initiative in Canadian history.
The design and development phase, costing $3.9 billion, is projected to last up to six years and will lay the groundwork for a 1,000-kilometre, all-electric rail line capable of speeds up to 300 km/h. The proposed route will feature stops in Peterborough, Ottawa, Montreal, Laval, and Trois-Rivières.
The consortium chosen to develop this rail line, named Cadence, comprises CDPQ Infra, AtkinsRéalis, Keolis, SYSTRA, SNCF Voyageurs, and Air Canada. A formal contract between Cadence and Alto, the Crown corporation responsible for overseeing the project, is anticipated to be finalized in the upcoming weeks.
Construction will not commence until the completion of the $3.9 billion design phase, which could extend up to five years. “Canada is getting high-speed rail. Today’s announcement of Alto, a high-speed rail system between Toronto and Quebec City, will transform our economy – drastically shortening commute times for millions of Canadians, turbocharging economic growth, creating thousands of good-paying jobs, improving productivity, and reducing emissions. Montréal to Toronto in three hours – you can’t beat that,” echoed Trudeau.