‘Our strong preference’: Alto rail route appears likely to bypass Lanark County as focus shifts to adding potential Kingston stop

It increasingly appears that, Alto, the proposed high-speed rail line between Toronto and Quebec City, may avoid Lanark County.

At a media event in Kingston on the morning of Monday, June 22, officials, including Canada’s Minister of Transport Steve McKinnon and Alto President and CEO Martin Imbleau, indicated a preference for a southern route option through eastern Ontario in order to accommodate a stop in Kingston.

The original plan was to build the rail with stops at only Quebec City, Montreal, Laval, Ottawa, Peterborough and Toronto.

However, after hosting dozens of consultation open houses that saw more than 10,000 people attend across areas that could potentially be affected by the rail line’s construction, officials now see a benefit of Kingston acting as a “hub” station serving the entire southeastern Ontario area, using Via Rail service and local public transit as ways of connecting passengers to Alto.

“What we’re saying very clearly today is that Kingston would become a sort of hub where Via Rail becomes a feeder service for Alto,” McKinnon explained. “That adds passengers to both, we believe.”

He noted that the southern option generated strong interest from Kingston officials, such as MP Mark Gerretsen and Mayor Bryan Paterson, during the consultations, and that Kingston’s population, student community and existing rail connections make it an attractive addition to the network.

When asked whether the northern corridor is still under consideration, McKinnon said officials are maintaining flexibility, but made it clear where the project appears to be heading.

“By our presence here today, we’re telling you what our strong preference is,” McKinnon told the crowd, explaining that the federal government is formally asking Alto to develop a plan to assess the southern route option.

Imbleau also spoke of how Alto’s public consultation process played a role in bringing Kingston further into consideration.

“The plea for Kingston was consistent, strategic, well organized, and definitely preliminary analysis showed that a stop in Kingston could have a positive impact on ridership,” he said.

McKinnon said adding Kingston to the high-speed rail network could significantly increase access to the service across eastern Ontario. He explained that if a station is built in Kingston, approximately 80 per cent of the population east of Peterborough would live within 25 minutes of a high-speed rail station.

“It’s quite an amazing thing,” McKinnon noted, adding the benefits would extend beyond cities with stations through construction jobs, business opportunities and improved transportation options for future generations.

The potential shift south comes as some Lanark County residents have raised concerns about the northern route, which could cross through the county. McKinnon acknowledged concerns from rural residents and landowners, saying the project will move forward with sensitivity regardless of the final alignment.

“I understand attachment to the land. I understand fears that projects will interfere with [rural residents’] way of life,” he said. “We are hoping to systematically reassure people who may have fears.”

McKinnon spoke of the federal government using its “right of way” to obtain land necessary to build the rail line, but emphasized that the “process will be done with great sensitivity.”

He said the route they ultimately select “will be the one that is the least intrusive in aggregate on private landowners over the whole length of of the project.

“There will be expropriations,” he continued. “Our obvious preference is to negotiate with willing sellers,” but, “we know that will not always be possible. There will be accommodations made, legal fees, independent appraisals. It will be a very fair, and, as I say, sensitive process.”

A final decision on the route is expected later this year.

“Probably late this fall, we will announce the specific alignment,” McKinnon said, adding the update is expected to narrow down the current broad corridors and show an “indicative alignment” for the project.

Lanarkist will continue to follow this story as it develops.

With files from Cris Vilela