The upcoming fall will mark the unveiling of the inaugural segment of the high-speed rail (HSR) project linking Quebec City to Toronto, with the Montreal to Ottawa route taking center stage.
Federal Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon made this announcement on Friday, concluding a two-day federal cabinet retreat in Banff, Alberta, ahead of the forthcoming parliamentary session in Ottawa.
While the HSR project has garnered support, it has also faced opposition from the agricultural sector, sparking a debate that has spilled over into the Quebec election campaign. Both the leader of the Parti Québécois (PQ), Paul St-Pierre-Plamondon, and the leader of the Conservative Party of Quebec (PCQ), Éric Duhaime, have openly criticized the high-speed rail initiative.
Minister MacKinnon acknowledged the potential for debate surrounding the project, emphasizing a commitment to handling property access issues with sensitivity. He dismissed what he deemed as misleading arguments, indirectly addressing concerns raised by the Bloc Québécois (BQ) linking the project to past expropriation controversies.
In a notable development, a motion presented in the House of Commons by Bloc Québécois MNA Jean-Denis Garon urged the Canadian government to apologize for past expropriations related to the former Mirabel International Airport, garnering unanimous support from federal MPs.
Reflecting on past mistakes, former federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau had previously apologized for the expropriations, a sentiment echoed by current Minister MacKinnon during the recent press conference.
MacKinnon defended the importance of the high-speed rail project, emphasizing public demand and the potential economic impacts of delays. Forecasts indicate that construction on the initial 200-kilometer Montreal to Ottawa section could commence in 2029, with estimated project costs ranging between $60 and $90 billion.
