The Toronto to Montreal high-speed train just got another step closer
The Toronto to Montreal high-speed train just got another step closer
Toronto city council says it supports the creation of a high-speed train that would connect the city with Montreal.
In a motion, council joined Oshawa in backing the creation of a high-speed rail network along the Quebec-Toronto corridor, which officials say would reduce travel between the two cities to just under three hours.
A normal train ride from Toronto to Montreal takes an average of five hours.
“The high-speed train could have enormous leverage effects for the economic and cultural development of the major cities located in this corridor, notably Montreal,” the motion, proposed by Councillor Paul Ainslie, read.
“Over the next ten years, Quebec and Ontario alone plan to spend $56 billion on their road network, an amount that represents approximately twice the cost of a high-speed train between Quebec and Toronto.”
In February, two Montreal city councillors asked the federal government for support building the rail network. A pitch by manufacturing company Alstom—who is currently piloting a green hydrogen train on the Charlevoix railway—has already been made.
The federal government instead said they are looking at a High Frequency Rail project along the corridor and are in the process of looking for a private partner to develop it.
A section of Ottawa's proposed High-Frequency Rail network is seen in this image. (Via Rail Canada)
At the time, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said the government would be open to looking into whether trains should be allowed to go faster than 200km/h. However, councillors argue this is significantly slower than that of a high-speed train, which has the capacity of travelling at about 250 km/hr.
In Toronto’s motion, councillors argue that a high-frequency train would “only slightly reduce the travel time” and “therefore make the project much less attractive to the population.”
“If Canada wants to significantly reduce its green house gas emissions and reach its targets promised to the international community, significant sums will have to be invested in public transit, particularly in rail transportation,” it read.
The Kathleen Wynne Liberal government proposed a 250 km/hr high-speed train that would have travelled from Toronto to Windsor in just two hours, but funding was paused in 2019 by the Doug Ford government.
Canada's special rapporteur on foreign interference David Johnston will be questioned by MPs at committee Tuesday morning, about his role, his report into election meddling, his decision against a public inquiry, and allegations of a conflict of interest.
Prince Harry entered a courtroom witness box Tuesday, swearing to tell the truth in testimony against a tabloid publisher he accuses of phone hacking and other unlawful snooping.
Canada's emergency preparedness minister says images of wildfires burning across the country are some of the most severe ever witnessed in Canada and the current forecast for the next few months indicates the potential for continued higher-than-normal fire activity.
Many Canadian parents are stretching themselves thin — even going as far as to postpone their retirement in some cases — in order to help pay for their children’s education, according to a new survey.
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Police in Australia are investigating the suspicious death of a woman who used to live in Surrey, BC, after her body was found in her apartment on the outskirts of Sydney.
Pope Francis briefly went to Rome's main hospital on Tuesday for tests and returned to the Vatican, two months after he was hospitalized with an acute case of bronchitis.
Astrud Gilberto, the Brazilian singer, songwriter and entertainer whose off-hand, English-language cameo on 'The Girl from Ipanema' made her a worldwide voice of bossa nova, has died at age 83.
Canada’s housing market saw the largest improvement in affordability in nearly four years in the first quarter of 2023, according to a report from economists at the National Bank of Canada.
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Officials are asking people living around Centennial Lake to evacuate their homes as a forest fire burns in the area west of Calabogie, Ont. An evacuation order has been extended to Wednesday afternoon.
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Capital Pride will be receiving money from the federal government to cover costs of added security measures at this year's Pride parade and other events.
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Windsor police are looking to identify a suspect who allegedly sexually assaulted a teenage girl and stole from her at a Walkerville park Saturday night.
Police in Barrie say another unsanctioned truck rally held in the city's north end over the weekend drew hundreds of participants and onlookers in a "chaotic scene of disrespect and total disregard for private property."
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Canada's emergency preparedness minister says images of wildfires burning across the country are some of the most severe ever witnessed in Canada and the current forecast for the next few months indicates the potential for continued higher-than-normal fire activity.
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A Ukrainian woman who now lives in Winnipeg is hoping one day she will be able to bring her husband's remains to her new home, a place he hoped one day he too would be able to call home.
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The provincial wildfire service is warning British Columbians to have a go-bag and make an evacuation plan with this year's wildfire season off to an alarming start.
Real estate experts say B.C.’s housing market is heating back after cooling off due to rising interest rates but the future is uncertain as several economists expect the Bank of Canada to hike rates again.
Police in Australia are investigating the suspicious death of a woman who used to live in Surrey, BC, after her body was found in her apartment on the outskirts of Sydney.
Canada's emergency preparedness minister says images of wildfires burning across the country are some of the most severe ever witnessed in Canada and the current forecast for the next few months indicates the potential for continued higher-than-normal fire activity.
Edmonton police launched a new tool Monday to encourage reports of "hate incidents," something officers believe will help them track people who may escalate to "hate crimes."
Many Canadian parents are stretching themselves thin — even going as far as to postpone their retirement in some cases — in order to help pay for their children’s education, according to a new survey.
A section of Ottawa's proposed High-Frequency Rail network is seen in this image. (Via Rail Canada)
