Speak up for wildlife: let’s talk Alto high-speed rail
Posted onMarch 13, 2026byWildlife Preservation Canada|News and Events, Species at Risk
FROM WILDLIFE PRESERVATION CANADA
13 March 2026, Guelph ON – Alto is a high-speed train project that would connect Toronto, Peterborough, Ottawa, Montréal, Laval, Trois-Rivières and Québec City. The electrified rail line would span approximately 1,000 km and could travel at speeds of 300 km per hour (or more).
Wildlife Preservation Canada is deeply concerned about the potential negative impacts this project could have on the many wildlife species that inhabit this region, the habitat it would bisect, and the communities that live there. One of the proposed Alto routes is of particular concern to WPC as it would run through a globally rare alvar grassland habitat—the Napanee Limestone Plain—that is home to an endangered species we have been saving from extinction in Canada: the eastern loggerhead shrike. This region is one of only two remaining breeding sites for this critically endangered songbird, and is in fact the strongest remaining population of eastern loggerhead shrikes in Canada. Shrikes in Ontario are reliant on alvars, and they will return to the same areas year after year to breed. Habitat loss is already a known threat to the species, and further development, as proposed by the Alto project, will greatly reduce the amount of suitable habitat in the province. This will put further pressure on an already precarious shrike population. For 25 years we have been working with local landowners in the region to protect and enhance habitat, and for the past 14 years this has been one of our release sites for juvenile shrikes that were bred in captivity to help support the wild population. This area is crucial for the recovery of the species in Canada, and has seen enormous investments to that end.
Until April 24, 2026, Alto is inviting the public to comment on the proposed rail network. With options to attend consultations in-person or virtually, this is an opportunity for the community to learn about the project, speak up, ask questions and have their voice heard. Wildlife Preservation Canada encourages everyone to participate in the public consultation.
Please find a suite of resources below to get informed, ask questions and find out what you can do.
Learn more
Recent articles published:
- Feb 25, 2026 National Post: Some communities in Eastern Ontario are worried about plans for high speed rail
- Feb 26, 2026 CBC News: Prescott-Russell communities band together over Alto high-speed project
- Feb 27, 2026 Kawartha NOW: Over 800 people attend Alto open house on proposed high-speed rail corridor through peterborough
- Feb 27, 2026 OFA: Farmers call for responsible, agriculture-first planning in Alto High-Speed Rail Development
- Feb 27, 2026 CTV News: Eastern Ontario politicians raise concerns with costs, potential land use for Alto high-speed line
- March 26, 2026 Inside Ottawa Valley: Alto high-speed rail faces growing opposition from Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Laks MPP and MP
- March 10, 2026 Brockville Recorder & Times: Brockville rejects current Alto high-speed rail plans
- March 13, 2026 Kawartha 411: Public engagement period extended on the federal government high-speed rail project until April 24, 2026
Other helpful links:
- Alto Train website: https://www.altotrain.ca/en
- Transport Canada website: https://tc.canada.ca/en/corporate-services/transparency/briefing-documents-transport-canada/2025-2/coporate-structure/crown-corporations/alto
- Alto high-speed rail citizen research: https://altohsrcitizenresearch.ca/
What can I do?
- Participate in the public consultation process: Alto train informational page The pubic consultation period ends on April 24, 2026. There are four main ways to participate in this process until that date:
- Complete Alto train’s survey
- Provide your feedback on their interactive map on their website
- Attend an in-person or virtual information meeting
- Submit a brief
- Spread the word to your networks
- Share your thoughts on the project with your local MP. Contact information can be found here: ourcommons.ca
- Sign a Petition:
- e-7203: Petition for the House of Commons to decline to approve or advance provisions in Bill C-15 that grant extraordinary powers to expedite rail corridor approvals
- 3-7207: Petition for the Government of Canada to fully maintain the rights and remedies provided for in the Expropriation Act and refrain from amending that Act in any way that would remove or diminish the rights and remedies available to citizens in the event of expropriation.