Alto High-Speed Rail | Eastway Gardens Community Website

Alto High-Speed Rail Network

The sole purpose of this webpage is to impartially explore the potential impacts of the proposed Alto high-speed rail project on Eastway Gardens.

Project overview - Phase 1 - Ottawa-Montreal

Artist's rendition of an Alto train. Photo courtesy Environmental Defence Canada Facebook, December 12, 2025

As part of the Building Canada Act, construction of the first phase of the Alto High-Speed Rail Network between Ottawa and Montreal is slated to begin simultaneously in 2029 at both ends of the route. Fully electrified trains will reach speeds of up to 300 km/h, significantly reducing travel time to one hour between the two cities, including a stop in Laval.

This initial phase, chosen for its relatively straight and high-potential corridor, aims to be completed between 2035 and 2038. It will utilize all Canadian steel, copper, wood, and concrete. The initial 10-kilometre-wide study corridor will eventually narrow to 60 metres in width as consultations near completion and the final route is established. The double tracks will be fenced in and powered by overhead catenaries throughout most of the corridor. To ensure high speeds, the tracks must remain flat and straight. (See Alto interactive map.)

Definitions of what constitutes high-speed rail vary. Canada is currently the only G7 country that does not have any high-speed rail (HSR) or "higher-speed" rail lines. (Read more here.) There are many reasons for this. Among them are prohibitive costs, expansive geography, government changes, and opposition—especially from rural parts of the country.

The United States is also facing challenges with getting true high-speed rail (HSR) projects off the ground. Watch the April 5, 2026 program Why high-speed rail hasn't tracked in the U.S. | 60 Minutes (be sure to enable the volume).

While there is no single definition or standard that applies worldwide, lines built to handle speeds of at least 250 km/h (155 mph) or upgraded lines of at least 200 km/h (125 mph) are generally considered to be high-speed. (Read more here.) In the United States, inter-city rail with top speeds between 90 and 110 mph (140 and 180 km/h) qualify as higher-speed rail, though some states choose to define high-speed rail with top speeds above 90 mph (140 km/h). (Read more here.)

> Alto offers flexible and accessible ways to participate in the public consultation

> Alto, Canada’s High-Speed Rail project team, will begin field investigations this spring as part of their data collection program

How might High-Speed Rail Phase 1 affect Eastway Gardens?

Alto, the Crown corporation developing the Quebec City-Toronto high-speed rail, is currently considering the Phase 1 route between Montreal and Ottawa and potential locations for the Ottawa station, subject to technical specifications and public consultation. Once the route and station locations are confirmed by late 2026, land acquisition will begin, with construction on the initial Ottawa-Montreal segment anticipated to begin in 2029.

Whether the Alto station is located on Tremblay Road or downtown, high-speed rail tracks, which will reportedly be located north of the Via Rail right-of-way, may route through the Eastway Gardens neighbourhood.

Potential locations of Alto train station

Specific station locations in Ottawa are still subject to ongoing public consultations and feasibility studies. A final decision is yet to be made. Below are the options:

1) Senate of Canada Building (Former Union Station)

Photo courtesy Wikipedia
Attribution: Dpalma01, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Located on Rideau Street near the Chateau Laurier, this is highly favoured by downtown Ottawa business interests and by Mayor Mark Sutcliffe. It served as Ottawa's main train station until 1966. Currently home to the Senate of Canada, the building has recently undergone significant renovations, bringing it up to modern standards. Reusing this site would bring passengers directly into the city’s core, but requires complex, costly tunnelling estimated at an additional several billion dollars.

“We have a once in a century opportunity to get this right. We’re only going to build a project like this once and if there is a way to get it downtown so that people are disembarking from the trains right in the heart of downtown Ottawa, we have to explore that,” said Sutcliffe (CTV Ottawa News).

The former Union Station presents many challenges, including severe constraints on space and high costs for tunnelling under the Rideau Canal.

This option could affect Eastway Gardens, including routing the high speed corridor to the downtown station from the tracks' entry point.

2) Via Rail/O-Train Station (Tremblay Rd.)

The current station is a strong contender because of its existing infrastructure, ease of expansion compared to downtown, and its current connection to Via Rail and the O-Train LRT Line 1. Not only is this site a major transit hub, but it is a short distance to downtown and is close to hotels and Highway 417 East and West access ramps.

Alto CEO Martin Imbleau has noted that the Tremblay Road area has significant expansion capabilities and a crucial connection to the existing OC Transpo LRT system, which is a priority for the new station's location.

This option would affect Eastway Gardens in several ways, including routing the high speed rails from its entry point east of the city to the Via Rail transit hub on Tremblay Road, as well as construction of the Alto train station.

3) Another possible location (599 Tremblay Rd. at St-Laurent Blvd.)

Vacant federal land at 599 Tremblay Rd. (formerly 530 Tremblay Rd.)—located at the intersection of Tremblay Rd. and St-Laurent Blvd.—is considered a potential, but not officially confirmed, site for the Alto high-speed rail (HSR) station.

Some view this location as a prime candidate for the Alto high-speed rail (HSR) station due to its proximity to existing transit infrastructure, including the O-Train LRT Line 1 station at the St. Laurent Shopping Centre and the nearby Tremblay VIA Rail/O-Train station.

Click here to read more…

The vacant federal land at 599 Tremblay Rd. (historically known as 530 Tremblay Rd.) is currently under consideration by Alto (the federal Crown corporation leading Canada’s high-speed rail project) as a potential site for the new Ottawa high-speed train station.

CURRENT STATUS AND POTENTIAL

Station Options: Alto CEO Martin Imbleau has identified the current VIA Rail station area on Tremblay Road as one of two "top of mind" locations for the high-speed rail hub in Ottawa, primarily due to its "expansion capabilities". The other primary option being considered is the former Union Station building downtown.
Study Area: As of March 2026, Alto is beginning the next stage of field studies and environmental assessments. They are expected to reach out to the City of Ottawa and other landowners to formally request access to specific sites for these studies.
Site Context: The 10.7-hectare parcel at 599 Tremblay Road is federal land that was previously slated for a massive 1.6-million-square-foot mixed-use office complex. However, those development plans were cancelled by the federal government in 2023, leaving the site—a large greenfield near the St. Laurent LRT station—available for other uses, such as a major transit hub or housing.

KEY STATION CRITERIA
Alto has indicated that the final selection for the station location will depend on several factors:

Connectivity: Proximity to existing transit like the O-Train.
Feasibility: Engineering challenges and cost (e.g., the high cost and complexity of tunneling to reach a downtown location).
Capacity: Ability to accommodate 72 trains per day on a dedicated 1,000-kilometre track.

A preliminary preferred rail alignment and station location for Ottawa is expected to be identified by the end of 2026.

The 26-acre vacant site was originally planned for a massive federal office complex, but those plans were cancelled in 2023. The land remains under federal ownership by Public Services and Procurement Canada (read more on the "Residential Developments" page).

There is unconfirmed speculation that the Ottawa-Montreal high speed corridor could use the 72 km Prescott and Russell Recreational Trail—a former rail bed. Some view this as a strongly preferred route as it aligns well with the vacant federal land at 599 Tremblay Road at the intersection of Tremblay and St-Laurent Boulevard.

Click here to read more…

While it is theoretically possible, whether a high-speed train could use the Prescott-Russell Recreational Trail corridor is a subject of significant current debate. Historically, this 72 km trail was a rail line, and it has recently been identified as a potential segment for the federal Alto high-speed rail project.

Here is the current situation regarding its potential use for high-speed rail:

1. HISTORICAL & INFRASTRUCTURE CONTEXT

Former Rail Line: The trail is a "rail-to-trail" conversion built on a former railbed (the Montreal and Ottawa Sub-Corridor).
Ownership Transition: While an agreement was reached in 2021 for the Prescott-Russell Recreational Trail Corporation to acquire the infrastructure from VIA Rail, some sources suggest that portions within city limits may still be under federal influence for future transportation needs.

2. HIGH-SPEED RAIL PROJECT (ALTO)

Study Area: The United Counties of Prescott and Russell (UCPR) are currently within a 10-kilometre-wide study corridor for the first phase of the Alto project, which aims to connect Ottawa and Montréal.
Technical Requirements: To reach speeds of 300 km/h, high-speed rail requires straight tracks, wide curves, and a fully fenced-in right-of-way with no level crossings. If the current trail were used, it would likely be transformed into a restricted, high-security corridor, ending its use as a public recreational path.

3. LOCAL OPPOSITION & CONCERNS

Community Impact: Local leaders and residents have expressed concerns that a high-speed line would "traverse" the region without providing local stops, effectively splitting communities with a "sealed" barrier.
Alternative Routes: Many local officials, including the Warden of the UCPR, have suggested that the train should instead run alongside existing major highways like Highway 401 to minimize disruption to rural lands and trails.

4. CURRENT RECREATIONAL RULES
Under its current management, the trail is strictly for non-motorized use in the summer (cycling, walking) and is restricted to snowmobiles and cross-country skiing in the winter. General motorized vehicles like cars, trucks, and ATVs are strictly prohibited.

The trail begins at the Quebec border, just outside of the village of Saint-Eugène, and goes to the eastern boundary of Ottawa, passing through the townships of East Hawkesbury, Champlain, The Nation, Alfred and Plantagenet, and Clarence-Rockland. The trail primarily passes through farmland, with some forested sections. Because it runs along a former railway, it is quite flat—a prerequisite for the high-speed rail corridor.

No one will confirm this route as a viable option. A mitigating factor might be the fact that on or about November 9, 2021, Via Rail and the Prescott-Russell Recreational Trail Corporation signed an agreement to secure the future of the trail.

NOTE: The summary above was produced with the help of AI and reviewed by an editor for accuracy and clarity.

Two possible locations of Alto high-speed train station in Eastway Gardens.

> Click here to see artist renditions of Alto stations and cars.

The possible locations of the Ottawa station and Ottawa-Montreal route are still subject to ongoing public consultations and feasibility studies. Below are schematics, some showing design details of Alto High-Speed stations and cars. Most of these posters were presented at in-person consultation sessions.