Release of Alto's What We Heard Report and announcement of Kingston as a potential stop along the High-Speed Rail network

KINGSTON, ON, June 22, 2026 /CNW/ - The Alto high-speed rail project is a strategic step toward delivering sustainable, faster, and more connected transportation for Canadians. It will provide more frequent and reliable passenger rail service, bring communities closer together, foster economic growth across the country, and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

Today, the Honourable Steven MacKinnon, Minister of Transport and the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, joined by Alto President and CEO Martin Imbleau, announced the release of Alto's What We Heard Report. The report summarizes feedback gathered during the first phase of a comprehensive 100-day public consultation process, as well as through Indigenous consultation activities that were conducted from October 2025 through June 2026 across the Toronto–Québec City Corridor.  

The report reflects feedback from Canadians, Indigenous communities, municipalities, agricultural producers, landowners, industry stakeholders, community organizations, and transportation experts on the opportunities, challenges, and potential benefits associated with the project. Agricultural producers, landowners, and rural communities have raised important questions related to property acquisition, impacts on farmland and agricultural operations, access, and the potential effects of the project on their properties and communities. This feedback is helping to inform ongoing planning, design, and mitigation measures.

Following the review of the findings, Minister MacKinnon directed Alto to develop a plan to assess a southern route option between Peterborough and Ottawa that includes a potential stop in Kingston that would interconnect with VIA Rail services, subject to technical feasibility and project requirements. 

High-speed rail would reduce travel times between Kingston and Toronto to approximately 90 minutes while establishing Kingston as a key regional mobility hub, improving connections and placing up to 80% of residents between Peterborough and Ottawa within a 25-minute drive of a station.   

Ongoing exchanges with environmental organizations in the Kingston area as a part of the consultation process clearly illustrated the need to minimize local and environmental impacts. Minister MacKinnon and Alto confirmed that these concerns will be taken very seriously and that the project will be developed in a way to mitigate potential impacts. This commitment will guide all technical analyses as work progresses. Once a preferred alignment is identified, the project will proceed to more detailed design and regulatory review, including the Impact in Assessment process. This next phase will continue to involve consultation with potentially impacted Indigenous communities, public engagement, and coordination with provincial, municipal, and other partners.

This work represents an important next step in refining the rail corridor and ensuring the project delivers the greatest possible benefits to communities across the Toronto–Québec City corridor while reducing impacts and remaining technically and economically viable. 

Quotes

"Canadians shared valuable perspectives through Alto's consultation process, and we are acting on what we heard. I have asked Alto to further assess an alignment option that could include Kingston as a potential stop as we continue advancing this transformative project for communities across the Toronto–Québec City corridor." 

The Honourable Steven MacKinnon
Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

"The release of Alto's What We Heard Report demonstrates that Kingston's voices were thoughtfully considered throughout this important consultation process. The announcement that Kingston is being considered as a potential stop on Canada's future high-speed rail network reflects the strength of local engagement and advocacy. It marks an exciting step toward greater connectivity, economic opportunity, and a more sustainable transportation future for Kingston and the surrounding region."

The Honourable Mark Gerretsen
Chief Government Whip and Member of Parliament for Kingston and the Islands

"Consultation is an ongoing dialogue. Public input, as well as feedback from organizations, experts and Indigenous communities, is invaluable in helping us refine the project, especially as we chose to engage early in the process. Alto's objective is to develop a project that delivers the greatest collective benefits, while minimizing impacts on communities and the environment. Technical and environmental analyses are continuing rigorously, and this work will allow us to present a more precise alignment this fall that reflects the comments we have received." 

Martin Imbleau
President and Chief Executive Office, Alto

Quick facts

• Alto will be Canada's first high-speed rail network, spanning approximately 1,000 km from Toronto to Québec City and reaching speeds of 300 km/hour or more to cut travel times in half and connect close to half of Canada's population.  
• Alto high-speed rail will offer a sustainable transportation solution for the densely populated regions of Ontario and Quebec. 
• This project will connect economic centres at rapid speeds, boost tourism, and spur housing development across the Toronto-Québec City corridor. 
• This project is expected to deliver a permanent 1.1% increase in GDP, equivalent to approximately $24 billion annually, while boosting productivity for generations of Canadians and creating more than 50,000 jobs during construction.   
• The Government of Canada has identified Alto High-Speed Rail as a transformative strategy for the country. 
• During the consultation period, Alto hosted 26 in-person open houses, 10 virtual sessions, and 31 stakeholder roundtables, engaging more than 10,000 people, over 324,000 visits on its consultation platform and gathering nearly 45,000 online comments through online questionnaires and an interactive map. 
• From October 2025 to June 2026, Alto conducted 102 meetings with 29 Indigenous communities. 
• Early procurement processes for activities leading up to the first phase of construction will start this year. Alto and Cadence will make sure that industry stakeholders have the information they need  to participate.  

Related products

• Full speed ahead: Ottawa–Montreal chosen as starting point for Alto High-Speed Rail
• Alto high-speed rail project completes first round of public consultations | Alto 
• Public Consultation - What We Heard Report - Corridor Study Area
• Indigenous Consultation - What We Heard Report - Corridor Study Area

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SOURCE Transport Canada - Ottawa

Contacts: Marie-Justine Torres, Press Secretary and Senior Communications Advisor, Office of the Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, 613-327-5918, [email protected]; Media relations, Transport Canada, Ottawa, 613-993-0055, [email protected]