Kingston may be left off Toronto to Quebec City high-speed rail route

Alto has begun public consultations on the Toronto–Quebec City high-speed rail alignment and is weighing northern and southern options; Kingston's mayor and MP are urging inclusion of a southern stop while Alto says its current mandate-directed plan does not include Kingston.

Alto, the Crown corporation managing Canada's planned Toronto–Quebec City high-speed rail, has started public consultations to choose the route through Ontario and Quebec. The agency says it wants to complete the full alignment this year, though construction on the Montreal–Ottawa section is still at least three years away. East of Peterborough, Alto is considering two options: a northern route near Highway 7 and a southern route closer to Belleville and Kingston. Kingston's mayor Bryan Paterson and MP Mark Gerretsen are urging Alto to select the southern alignment and add a station near Kingston. Key details: - Alto has opened consultations to decide the alignment for the Toronto–Quebec City high-speed rail. - Two route options east of Peterborough are under consideration: a northern Highway 7 corridor and a southern corridor nearer Belleville and Kingston. - Kingston officials have publicly advocated for a southern route and a station to serve the city and nearby 401 corridor communities. - An Alto spokesperson said the corporation is developing the network based on the federal mandate and that the current alignment does not include a Kingston station. - VIA Rail said it will continue to serve Kingston and other communities with conventional passenger rail services even after the high-speed system is introduced. Summary: The route choice will determine whether Kingston is directly served by the planned high-speed line and could affect travel options for communities along the 401 corridor. Alto's consultations are ongoing and the corporation aims to complete the alignment this year.