The Town of Whitby has asked to be part of the planning process for Alto, the proposed high-speed rail network.
Durham is a feature as the Crown corporation kicked off its GTA open houses on February 12 in Pickering (see below).
Alto will connect, Toronto, Peterborough, Ottawa, Montréal, Laval, Trois-Rivières and Québec City through about 1,000 km of dedicated, mainly electrified tracks.
“Whitby is not identified as a station location, but publicly available information suggests that portions of the corridor may run north of Whitby and could intersect with existing rail or rural areas,” said a town statement.
Mayor Elizabeth Roy said she recently sent a letter to the federal minister of transportation stressing the importance of keeping the Town of Whitby informed as the process moves forward and requesting:
- A technical briefing for council and senior town staff
- Formal participation from the Town of Whitby in the consultation process
- Collaboration between Transport Canada, Metrolinx, Durham Region, and local municipalities to ensure the Alto project aligns with the Go Train expansion, local transportation networks, and long‑term regional growth plans
- Early discussion of construction‐related impacts, transportation connectivity, and regional economic development opportunities
A public consultation phase was underway from January to March, which has been extended to April 24, Whitby said.
Project Timeline
Construction will start once approval has been obtained from the federal government. The network will be built using a phased approach — first segment will be Ottawa–Laval–Montréal.
Alto is currently in the development and pre-construction phase of the project with Cadence, its private developer partner. This phase is expected to last about four years.
Field studies are also underway and will help establish baseline data on fish and habitat, surface water quality, noise and vibration levels, and terrestrial ecology.
Following the public consultation, the first segment of the project will be submitted for an environmental impact assessment that looks at technical constraints, environmental issues, social acceptability, and reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.
Economic Impact
Once completed, the network will boost the economy with a projected annual GDP uplift of 1.1 per cent for Canada. The project is expected to generate 51,000 jobs during construction and thousands more during operation and bring in $800 million in tourism revenue annually.
With speeds reaching 300kmh or more, the network is projected to support economic growth by shortening travel times, enhancing connectivity between people and communities, creating job opportunities and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
To learn more about the project or share feedback through virtual sessions or an online consultation platform, visit https://www.altotrain.ca/en.
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