Upcoming
Towards a transformative and integrated high-speed rail project
Better connected regions, lower-carbon travel, with the least possible impact on our land
The opportunit
Once completed, the Toronto-Quebec City high speed rail (HSR) project could be a major advancement for sustainable mobility in Canada, allowing for significant reductions in intercity flights and car travel. It’s an opportunity to more efficiently connect major cities in Canada’s most populous corridor, opening up new possibilities for travel using public transport. Same-day return trips for work, school or leisure would become a viable option between several regional hubs.
- 70 Over 70 flights connect Montreal and Toronto every day, and there are about 30 others between Montreal and Quebec City or Montreal and Ottawa. HSR could contribute significantly to reducing the extreme pollution caused by these short-haul trips.
Source: Google searches on flight aggregators in 2026
The issues
As with any major infrastructure project, significant impacts are to be expected. During consultations on the HSR project and its route, Équiterre is calling first and foremost for farmland, ecological corridors and habitat zones and to be avoided as much as possible. For lands and habitats that are affected, there must be restoration measures to reduce negative impacts on farm operations, communities and natural environments. Fair compensation must also be provided to compensate for losses.
Though the impacts of building HSR would be significant, it’s important to consider the alternative: continuing to encourage the construction and usage of new or expanded highways or new airport terminals, which would have an even greater impact on the land, the climate and our communities.
“ HSR integrated into our transportation networks could transform the way Canadians travel while lowering GHG emissions and avoiding the construction of new road and airport infrastructure. This is a golden opportunity for Canadians to access a public transportation option that has existed for decades in other countries. ”
Notre travail
Équiterre is in favour of an HSR project, but with many important conditions. We are involved in consultation roundtables and we submitted recommendations during the spring 2026 consultations.
In these recommendations, we explain that the HSR project could become the future backbone of public transportation in Ontario and Quebec, provided that it:
Link the urban centres on its route, ensuring interconnectivity and fit within existing public transportation systems;
Extend its ambition beyond the cities along the route (for example, contribute to maintaining Via Rail services and develop public transportation services beyond HSR);
Limit the impacts on farmland and natural environments with the Avoid-Reduce-Restore-Compensate approach.
Our intentions
- Work with decision-makers to help put the conditions in place for a transformative and integrated HSR project.
- Encourage reflection and discussion among Canadians on how HSR will help us change the way we travel, so that there is more widespread understanding of the benefits, the issues and the conditions that must be respected.
- Encourage citizens to take part in public consultations on the HSR project, to make their voices heard.
Équiterre submitted recommendations during a public consultation
FAQ
Why a high-speed train between Quebec City and Toronto?
-There are over 100 flights that go between Quebec City, Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa every day. High-speed rail (HSR) could replace many of these extremely polluting short-haul flights.
-The Quebec City-Toronto corridor is home to over 40% of Canada’s population and contains three of the country’s four largest urban centres, where demographic growth remains on the rise.
-Via Rail is unable to offer passengers a level of service that meets their needs for travel between these cities. It is required to give CN freight trains right of way on their shared tracks.
-Canada is the only G7 country without high-speed rail, though it has the strongest demographic growth in the group.
-A high-speed rail network could transform the way Canadians travel, reduce congestion and travel times, improve connectivity and reduce GHG emissions. It’s an opportunity for Canadians to access a public transportation option that has existed for decades in other countries.Building high-speed rail will be very expensive. Is it worth it?
Indeed, high-speed rail (HSR) will cost a lot of money and require major investments by the federal government. The cost of inaction, however, could be far greater. Building HSR will be less expensive than the cost of all the highway and airport infrastructure upgrades that would be necessary if HSR is not built (expanding Highways 20, 40 and 401 to address congestion; building new airport terminals because Pearson and Trudeau are at full capacity; etc.). These upgrade projects would lead to higher greenhouse gas emissions and would only exacerbate congestion, because even more people would choose flying or driving for trips between these cities.
A study on California’s HSR network between San Francisco and Los Angeles shows that it would cost around twice as much to provide highway and air capacity that is equivalent to the capacity of its HSR network.
Why is the HSR project taking so long?
Yes, there’s been talk about HSR in Canada for decades. However, now that major investments have been announced by Ottawa, that a consortium has been established to design a detailed route for the train, and that public consultations have begun, we have never been this far along in a HSR project.
The planning phase for a project this size is crucial to its success. It’s worth taking the time to do things properly, such as consulting the public and determining the best route and technology to be used, in order to avoid cost overruns down the road.
Why a high-speed train rather than a high-frequency train (HFT)?
According to experts, a combination of both is needed: a high-speed train that runs frequently (several departures per hour). A high-frequency train alone would not be competitive enough in terms of time saved to dissuade people from flying.
Some observers are calling for HSR to be limited to the Montreal-Toronto corridor and complemented by a HFT between Quebec City and Montreal. However, that would require passengers to change trains or stations in Montreal, which would limit the benefits of train travel between Quebec City (or Trois-Rivières) and Toronto. A key principle in transitioning to greener modes of transportation is to limit the ‘’friction’’ (obstacles, inconvenience, duration) of a trip (such as needing to change trains or stations).
Timeline
2026 (novembre)
Consultations on the proposed Montreal-Ottawa route
Announcement on preferred route (1 km wide), including three stations, with another round of consultations.
2026 (janvier)
Consultations on the Quebec City-Toronto corridor
Public consultations are held on the Quebec City-Toronto corridor (10 km wide), comprising seven stations.
2025 (février)
Major investment by the federal government
The Trudeau government earmarks $3.9 billion for Phase 1 of the Quebec City-Toronto HSR project and appoints a consortium.
2024 (octobre)
Announcement of Quebec City-Toronto HSR project
A decision to move ahead with a high-speed train between Quebec City and Toronto following consultations with 33 experts and a public survey.
2016
Relaunch of high-frequency train (HFT) project
The Trudeau government relaunches the high-frequency train project using dedicated tracks instead of a high-speed train.
1995
Montreal-Toronto high-speed rail (HSR) scenario confirmed
A report by Transport Canada finds that a 300km/h line between Montreal and Toronto is "the best scenario".
1980
First in-depth study on the potential of high-speed rail
A study by Via Rail recognizes the potential of a high-speed train between Montreal and Toronto, with a Montreal-Quebec City high-frequency train (HFT).
1968
Turbo Trains between Montreal and Toronto are put in place
Though designed to reach 270 km/h, they managed only 160 km/h due to a lack of dedicated infrastructure and were abandoned by Via Rail in 1982.
Équipe
Analyst, Sustainable Mobility
