The first segment of the federal government’s proposed high-speed rail network will connect Ottawa to Montreal.
The planned rail project connecting Toronto to Quebec City will span 1,000 kilometres in total and is expected to begin construction in 2029. Dubbed Canada’s first high-speed rail network, it would involve trains that travel up to 300 kilometres per hour.
Federal Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon told reporters on Dec. 12 that the 200-kilometre route from Ottawa to Montreal was chosen as the first segment of the project because it is “the most logical option,” being the shortest section of the proposed corridor.
“It is a relatively short and straight portion of the overall route… This provides an excellent opportunity for teams in both provinces to begin to develop together the expertise needed to deliver the other segments, both in Ontario and in Quebec,” MacKinnon told reporters at a press conference in Gatineau, Que….