OTTAWA – A growing coalition of farm organizations from Quebec, Ontario, and across Canada is raising serious concerns about the federal government’s proposed Alto high-speed rail project, warning that the ambitious transportation plan could come with an enormous price tag and lasting consequences for Canada’s agricultural sector.
Representatives from major farming organizations gathered in Berthierville, Quebec, this week to urge Ottawa to reconsider the high-speed rail corridor planned between Quebec City and Toronto. While acknowledging the importance of modern transportation infrastructure, farm leaders argued that the project’s economic and environmental costs have not been fully examined and that agricultural land should not be sacrificed without a thorough and transparent review.
The groups, including the Union des producteurs agricoles, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, and the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, say they are not opposed to development but believe the current proposal could threaten some of the country’s most productive farmland while imposing significant challenges on farming operations for generations to come.
Ontario Federation of Agriculture President Drew Spoelstra said farmers are concerned that the rail corridor would cut through fields, separate farmland from farm buildings, and create long-term operational obstacles that could affect agricultural productivity. Although the project includes plans for overpasses and underpasses, farm leaders argue that many producers would still be forced to travel longer distances to access portions of their land divided by the railway.
The organizations are planning a peaceful demonstration on Parliament Hill to draw attention to their concerns and to encourage the federal government to revisit the project before construction begins.
Their concerns are supported by a study conducted by researchers from HEC Montréal, Université Laval, and the University of Waterloo. The research estimated that the proposed rail line could generate approximately $48 billion in economic benefits over a 40-year period. However, researchers found that those benefits may fall short of the project’s estimated cost, which currently ranges between $60 billion and $90 billion.
Some experts believe the final cost could be considerably higher. Jacques Roy, a professor specializing in operations and logistics management at HEC Montréal and one of the study’s authors, pointed to recent high-speed rail construction projects in France, where costs have exceeded $112 million per kilometre. Applying similar figures to Alto’s proposed 1,000-kilometre corridor could push costs above $112 billion. Additional estimates from Ontario researchers suggest the final price could approach $140 billion.
Roy noted that major expenses associated with bringing high-speed rail into the downtown cores of Montreal and Toronto may not yet be fully reflected in current projections. He estimates those additional infrastructure requirements alone could add at least $10 billion to the project’s overall cost.
Farm organizations are also questioning why the federal government selected a high-speed rail model rather than a high-frequency rail option. They argue that high-frequency rail could utilize more existing transportation corridors, reduce construction costs, minimize disruption to communities, and preserve more agricultural land while still improving passenger rail service.
According to figures cited by Quebec’s farm union, the first phase of the project between Montreal and Ottawa could affect approximately 1,700 properties, including at least 500 agricultural properties. Construction on that section could begin as early as 2029.
Agricultural leaders say their concerns extend beyond economics. They view farmland as a vital national resource that must be protected for future generations. They are calling on Ottawa to release all analyses and studies used in selecting the high-speed rail option and to conduct a transparent comparison of alternative solutions before moving forward.
For many farmers, the debate is not simply about transportation infrastructure but about balancing progress with the protection of Canada’s agricultural heritage. As discussions around the Alto project continue, farm organizations say they will keep pressing for greater transparency, careful planning, and solutions that safeguard both economic growth and the country’s valuable farmland.