Quebec farmers are calling on the federal government for more transparency on the high-speed electric railway that would connect Quebec City to Toronto.
The Alto High-Speed Rail Project is a proposed 1,000-kilometre railway and would use a ribbon less than 100 metres wide for the railway.
However, for some farmers, there remains uncertainty about how the project may impact their farms.
Guillaume Alary, a third-generation farmer, runs a family business in Repentigny, and his farm and surrounding land are right in the middle of the projected rail line.
“Will I be expropriated?” he told CTV News.
“I have a daughter that I hoped would take over the business, but it’s uncertain right now.”
Some farmers want to know exactly where the train will pass.
“What they want right now is answers. They’re anxious,” said Normand Urbain, Repentigny City Councillor. “We’re going to construct a new industry, and we’re going to destabilize another industry.”
Farmers are also worried about what will happen if the train runs next to their land.
In a statement to CTV News, Alto said it published a report sharing feedback it received in a consultation, including over 24,000 submitted questionnaires and nearly 20,000 comments.
“We understand that uncertainty can raise questions for farmers and property owners, which is why we continue to engage every day with communities and stakeholders – including agricultural organizations and Le Conseil régional de l’environnement de Lanaudière (CRE Lanaudière), which participated in our consultations,” the statement reads.
“Our door remains open, and we welcome continued dialogue as the project progresses. We will continue to provide updated information on the route, property impacts, impact assessment and project costs as the work progresses and those details are confirmed.”
The final route that the train will take has not been confirmed. Alto said the project is estimated to cost as much as $90 billion.
But some doubt those numbers.
“The only people saying it’s going to cost $90 billion is Alto. Everyone else, you know, independent people that looked at this project, you know, we’re seeing more $140, 150 billion,” said Simon Duval of UPA Lanaudière.
Farmers say they aren’t against public transport, but they want more transparency, and they wonder why existing rail lines can’t be used.
In June, the Parti Québécois said it would remove Quebec from the project to prioritize infrastructure maintenance.
For now, farmers continue to worry about what will happen to their land.
