Agricultural producers from Quebec and Ontario are demanding the federal government immediately halt the proposed Alto high-speed rail project, citing massive estimated costs reaching up to $90 billion, threats to prime farmland, and a lack of public support for a plan they argue bypasses rural communities.
The opposition to the high-speed rail corridor connecting Quebec City and Toronto has moved from localized pushback to a coordinated cross-provincial campaign. Farm organizations, municipal leaders, and taxpayers are calling on Ottawa to hit pause on all activities tied to the Crown corporation Alto and its private development partner, Cadence.
Agricultural Producers Demand Immediate Federal Suspension
The Union des producteurs agricoles formally wrote to federal Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon to apply the brakes on the project. While the union’s resistance is not new, the latest step involves a direct push for a complete and immediate suspension of all ground-level interventions by Alto.
According to the union’s leadership, the federal government should order an independent comparative study evaluating the high-speed rail proposal against a high-frequency train alternative. Such an assessment would cover all costs, potential overruns, ridership projections, economic returns, and territorial impacts.
“Too many signs suggest that the costs announced so far are greatly underestimated. The Canadian government must act responsibly and get to the bottom of this issue before going any further.”
Photo: globalnews.ca
Martin Caron, President General of the Union des producteurs agricoles, via CityNews Montreal
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture has joined the call, standing alongside its Quebec counterpart to demand a halt and an independent assessment. For farm businesses, the stakes involve the physical layout of rural operations.
“Ontario farmers support investments in infrastructure and transportation, but we cannot support a project moving forward before its impacts on farmland, farm businesses and rural communities are fully understood. Prime agricultural land is a finite resource. We need to see the business case, evaluation of the alternatives and a credible plan to avoid and mitigate impacts on agriculture.”
Drew Spoelstra, President of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture
Escalating Cost Estimates and Public Sentiment
Financial uncertainty remains a core grievance for critics of the rail initiative. Alto currently estimates the cost of the project between $60 billion and $90 billion, though public estimates and participating groups frequently point to the higher end of that bracket. Construction on the initial segment between Montreal and Ottawa is scheduled to begin as early as 2029.
Photo: Ontario Federation of Agriculture
To gauge public backing, the farm union commissioned a survey from the polling firm Synopsis. Conducted from August 12 to 17 among 1,100 Quebec respondents online, the poll revealed that initial support for the high-speed rail project drops from 69 per cent to 59 per cent once participants are given a detailed presentation of the plan. Conversely, backing for an alternative high-frequency train system increases from 67 per cent to 73 per cent following a detailed presentation.
United Front Across Provincial Borders
Rural communities in both provinces are preparing to showcase their unified opposition. A planned rally dubbed Strong & United brings together taxpayers, business owners, farmers, and families at Fermes Legault in Rigaud, Quebec. The event features a tractor parade and presentations from academic and legal figures.
Farmers protest high speed rail project between Quebec City and Toronto
Speakers at the gathering include Ian Lee, an associate professor at the Sprott School of Business at Carleton University, who is set to discuss the project’s economics. Erin Durant, founder of Durant Barristers, will address governance and ethics, while Sébastien Lemire, député d’Abitibi—Témiscamingue and spokesperson for the Bloc Québécois on agriculture, agri-food and supply management, plans to speak on food sovereignty.
Local municipal officials involved in the resistance emphasize that the pushback transcends provincial boundaries. Robert Charron, a municipal councillor in Mirabel and a spokesperson for the GOTA (Groupe d’opposition au TGV d’Alto), noted that organizers refuse to let the issue be divided by provincial lines.
Critics argue that a high-frequency train utilizing existing rights-of-way would achieve reliability and travel time goals without the immense capital expenditure and land disruption associated with a brand-new high-speed rail corridor. Supporters of the alternative argue it avoids cutting through valuable acreage and fragmenting local drainage networks.
Photo: CityNews Montreal
With municipal elections in Ontario and a provincial electoral campaign underway in Quebec, the debate has firmly embedded itself in active political contests. Opponents argue that voters are watching closely to see whether elected officials and candidates address the project’s fiscal and territorial implications before concrete commitments lock the region into long-term infrastructure debt.
Hundreds protest $90 billion high-speed rail in Ottawa
