Alto extends online consultation period until April 24

The online consultation platform will remain open for an additional four weeks, and two virtual sessions will be added in late March

MONTRÉAL, March 11, 2026 /CNW/ - Due to a high level of participation and sustained public interest, Alto is extending the online public consultation period until Monday, April 24, 2026, bringing the total duration of the process to 100 days. The public can continue to share their feedback on the corridor under study through the online consultation platform and two additional virtual sessions will be held on the evenings of March 23 and 26, 2026. This extension reflects Alto's commitment to maintaining an open, accessible, and transparent dialogue with everyone interested in the highspeed rail project between Québec City and Toronto.

Originally scheduled to run from January 15 to March 29, 2026, the public consultation has already allowed Alto to engage with numerous communities, in person at open houses held in several locations across Québec and Ontario, and virtually, through online sessions and the consultation platform.

"Public consultation is a valuable opportunity for dialogue with the population, grounded in transparency and active listening. The success of the current process demonstrates how important the Alto project is to citizens. Every question and every comment help inform our analyses and better integrate the project into local communities. We encourage the public to continue making their voices heard by visiting our online consultation platform and taking part in our upcoming virtual sessions on March 17, 23, and 26," said Pierre‑Yves Boivin, Chief Officer, Communications and Public Affairs, Alto.

An open and inclusive space for dialogue

Flexible and accessible, the online consultation platform will remain open until Friday, April 24, 2026 to allow the public to learn about the project and share their perspectives at their own pace. Participants can:

• review all available information about the project;
• explore the study corridor map and submit comments;
• complete the online questionnaire;
• submit a brief or written submission.

Upcoming virtual sessions

To give more citizens access to information and engage with Alto's teams, two additional virtual sessions will be held later this month. These live sessions provide an opportunity to learn more about the corridor currently under study and pose their questions to our experts.

• Tuesday, March 17, 7:00–8:45 p.m. – French
• Monday, March 23, 7:00–8:45 p.m. – English
• Thursday, March 26, 7:00–8:45 p.m. – French

Strong public participation

Alto's public consultation has exceeded expectations in terms of participation levels and the diversity of exchanges, both online and on the ground. To date:

• Online consultation platform: 184,339 unique visits, 14,774 completed questionnaires, and 10,420 comments submitted on the corridor map.
• Open houses: 26 events across Québec and Ontario, with a total attendance of 9,194 participants to date.
• Virtual sessions: 10 bilingual virtual meetings held in French and English, bringing together 1,299 participants so far.
• Roundtables: 35 thematic meetings with representatives of civil society, as well as numerous meetings with elected officials along the corridor.

For a project of Alto's scale, every contribution matters by helping guide decisions and better illustrate the realities of the communities served, which all contributes to the goal of maximizing the project's benefits.

Based on the feedback received and continued analyses, additional rounds of public consultation will be held in the coming months, particularly regarding the more detailed study corridor for the first segment planned between Montréal and Ottawa.

About Alto

Alto is a Crown corporation dedicated to building the largest public infrastructure project in Canada's recent history – the country's first ever, reliable and frequent high-speed rail network. With stations in Toronto, Peterborough, Ottawa, Montréal, Laval, Trois-Rivières and Québec City, this project will connect millions of Canadians living along the country's most densely populated corridor. Alto will bring cities and people closer together and create significant socio-economic benefits that will help generations to come. For more information, please visit our website altotrain.ca. 

SOURCE Alto

Media inquiries: [email protected], 514-816-2489