There’s a Viable, More Reasonable Alternative to the $90 Billion Alto Project
by Eric Duncan, MP
For years, residents of Cornwall and SD&G have made one thing clear: they want reliable, affordable passenger rail service that actually meets their needs. That means improving the service we already have, not spending tens of billions of taxpayer dollars on a brand-new rail project that leaves many communities behind.
The Liberal government’s proposed ALTO high-speed rail project has generated growing opposition from municipalities, transportation experts, and Canadians who are questioning both its enormous cost and its value. With a price tag now estimated at around $90 billion, Canadians have every right to ask whether this is the best use of scarce public dollars, especially when our country faces serious fiscal challenges.
Communities like Cornwall and Alexandria have already experienced what happens when existing VIA Rail service is reduced. Fewer departures mean fewer transportation options for students, seniors, business travellers, and tourists. Rather than bypassing communities that have depended on passenger rail for generations, we should be investing in the infrastructure that already exists to improve current service.
Improving VIA Rail along existing corridors is a practical, affordable solution. Better on-time performance, more frequent departures, modern equipment, and targeted track improvements would benefit millions of Canadians without creating an entirely new system that duplicates much of the existing network.
Passenger rail should connect communities, not divide them into winners and losers. Taxpayer dollars should deliver the greatest benefit to the greatest number of Canadians.
As your Member of Parliament, I will continue advocating for practical transportation investments that strengthen our region and improve mobility across Eastern Ontario. Common-sense investments in better VIA Rail service will provide real benefits for families, businesses, and local economies without saddling future generations with billions more in debt for a project that fewer and fewer Canadians believe is the right solution.
