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Rail Transportation

During question period on rail transportation, members debated the Alto high-speed rail project. Scott Reid of the Conservatives quoted Kingston’s mayor questioning spending on a new high-speed system while the existing rail network deteriorates, cited Parliamentary Budget Officer estimates about the cost of extending the line to Kingston, and argued the project should be cancelled because it is expensive, would slow some trips, and lacks public support. Mike Kelloway of the Liberals described the project as generational and transformative, saying it would add up to $35 billion to the economy, create 52,000 jobs, connect communities, and produce lower emissions than other transport, and called on Conservatives to support it.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

2 statements

Scott Reid

Conservative
“We should cancel the Alto high-speed rail project. It costs too much while our current trains get worse. Adding Kingston would cost billions more and make trips between Montreal and Toronto slower. People do not want this project.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, Kingston’s new mayor had this to say about Alto: “I question the wisdom of spending enormous amounts of money creating a...high-speed system while the...rail network we already have has been allowed to deteriorate.” She is right. The PBO estimates that extending Alto to Kingston would add between $4 billion and $6 billion to the cost of this already bloated project. The extra mileage, plus the extra stop, would add 20 minutes to every Montreal-to-Toronto trip on this supposedly fast train. Kingston does not want Alto. The rest of us do not want Alto. Why do we not just cancel Alto altogether?

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Mike Kelloway

Liberal

Linked statement

“I want the Conservatives to support our rail project. It will add up to $35 billion to our economy, create 52,000 jobs, connect towns and cities, and pollute less.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, it has been said time and again, because it is true, that this project is generational and transformative. Let us talk about the numbers: boosting the GDP by up to $35 billion and creating 52,000 jobs. This is not to mention that the environmental footprint is much lower with trains. It is also connecting rural, connecting urban and creating community wealth. That is what we are about on this side. We would like the Conservatives to join us.

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