Alto: Canada’s largest rail project gains momentum

by tanya_martins_2 | February 22, 2025 3:02 pm

A green train car with large white lettering that reads "ALTO" is shown at a platform.[1]
Rendering of a Toronto-Quebec City High-Speed Rail Network train. Photos courtesy Alto

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently unveiled Cadence, the consortium selected to design the Toronto to Quebec City high-speed rail network. The project is one of the largest infrastructure endeavors in Canada’s history.

This transformative rail network will span approximately 1,000 km (621 miles) and reach up to 300 km/hour (186 miles/hour), with stops in Toronto, Peterborough, Ottawa, Montreal, Laval, Trois-Rivieres, and Quebec City. Once operational, travel times will be slashed in half, getting people from Montreal to Toronto in just three hours. The official name of this high-speed rail service will be Alto.

Map showing major cities in Canada, including Toronto, Peterborough, Ottawa, Laval, Montréal, Trois-Rivières, Québec City, and their geographical layout along the river.[2]
Route of the stations the rail network will service.

Cadence team members include CDPQ Infra, AtkinsRéalis, Keolis, SYSTRA, SNCF Voyageurs, and Air Canada. Cadence has been selected to co-design, build, finance, operate, and maintain this project. The consortium will further collaborate and support Alto as work begins on detailed design, Indigenous consultations, land acquisition, and the environmental assessments necessary to enable construction.

The project will boost the GDP by up to $35 billion annually and create more than 51,000 jobs during construction.

Endnotes:
  1. [Image]: https://www.constructioncanada.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/tM_TorontoQuebecRail-1.jpg
  2. [Image]: https://www.constructioncanada.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/tM_TorontoQuebecRail-2.jpg

Source URL: https://www.constructioncanada.net/alto-canadas-largest-rail-project-gains-momentum/

Copyright ©2025 Construction Canada unless otherwise noted.