Farm and environmental groups in Quebec’s Lanaudière region are urging Ottawa to publish analyses of a proposed high-speed rail line before an irreversible decision, saying a possible route could divide farmland.
At an Oct. 29 briefing in Repentigny, CRE Lanaudière and the Lanaudière federation of the Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA) called for the federal government to show that it had assessed possible alternatives. The organizers said an alignment under study could cross a farm and an ecological corridor.
Crop farmer Guillaume Alary told Global News he fears the project could divide his property. Global News reported that Alary owns more than 260 hectares in Repentigny, where he grows wheat, corn, soybeans and hay. “I’m concerned about my land, my family,” he told the outlet.
Simon Duval, regional president of the Lanaudière UPA, told Global News that dividing fields could force farmers to take detours and damage their finances.
Alto describes the Toronto–Québec City study corridor as nearly 1,000 kilometers long and about 10 kilometers wide. The agency says it is considering route options within that area, which is not a selected alignment; specific properties that could be affected have not been identified. Alto expects the eventual right-of-way to average about 60 meters wide.
The project is intended to improve connections and support tourism, housing and economic activity, according to the federal government. Farm groups warn that route choices could burden agricultural land and operations. Alto says planners may follow existing infrastructure or lot boundaries to reduce effects on farmland. It is also considering bridges or underpasses to keep land accessible; the planned dedicated tracks would have no at-grade crossings.
Alto’s first public consultation ended April 24, 2026. Its schedule calls for another round in fall 2026 on a narrower Ottawa–Montréal corridor, followed by consultation on the Montréal–Québec City segment in early 2027. Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon said the work would allow Alto to present a more precise alignment this fall that reflects public comments.
