Hawkesbury town council opposes the Alto project in its current form.
On Monday, April 13, council endorsed the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus (EOWC) motion, which was adopted by United Counties of Prescott and Russell (UCPR) Council in March, opposing the proposed high-speed rail project as it is currently presented.
The EOWC, which represents county wardens across Eastern Ontario, initially developed and adopted the resolution as a response to the project, which is nearing the end of the first stage of public consultation. If it proceeds, the first line will be constructed between Ottawa and Montréal. Ultimately, the entire Alto system will connect Toronto to Ottawa, Montréal, and Québec City. In the area between Ottawa and Montréal, there is also currently considerable controversy and uncertainty over possible routes the line could follow.
Councillor Jeanne Charlebois expressed strong support for the EOWC resolution. Like many people, she referred to the past expropriation of land for the Mirabel Airport.
“What is it going to give here? It doesn’t stop here. It’s going to go straight through. It’s going to disrupt communities. It’s going to disrupt farmland. It’s going to disrupt the region,” Charlebois said.
There was no other discussion about the Alto resolution at the April 13 Hawkesbury Council meeting. All members of council supported the EOWC resolution.
