Area residents will soon have the opportunity to learn about the federal government’s new Alto high-speed rail project. They will also be able to ask questions and share suggestions for the plan.
In December 2025, federal Minister of Transport Steven MacKinnon and Alto President and CEO Martin Imbleau announced that the first part of the project will travel between Ottawa and Montréal, which means the line will most likely travel across Prescott and Russell and North Glengarry.
Alto, which is a federal agency, is aiming to begin construction in 2029. Eventually, Alto will also connect to Toronto and Québec City.
A series of public consultations are taking place in towns and cities across Eastern Ontario and southern Québec. An Alto consultation session is scheduled for Vankleek Hill on Thursday, January 29. It will take place at the Vankleek Hill Community Centre on Mill Street.
The consultation will consist of two four-hour sessions. The first is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and the second session is from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Attendees have the opportunity to meet with Alto personnel, share ideas, and actively contribute to building the high-speed rail network.
The Vankleek Hill Alto consultation is the only one being held in Prescott and Russell counties. The other consultations are taking place in Ottawa, Montréal, and in other communities across Québec and Ontario which may be affected by the project. For a complete listing of Alto consultations with dates and locations, please see https://www.altotrain.ca/en/public-consultation/open-house.
