United Against Alto, which includes the Alt-no organization has released preliminary results of a questionnaire indicating more than 70 per cent of municipal election candidates across Eastern Ontario are against the proposed high-speed passenger rail project.
The survey and questionnaire has been completed by 226 municipal candidates from 88 municipalities across Eastern Ontario. United Against Alto issued the information in a press release on Thursday, October 1. Of the 226 respondents as of Wednesday, October 1, 163 or 72.1 per cent of candidates explicitly oppose the proposed project, while another 36 or 15.9 per cent said they have concerns and require more information before taking a position. Just nine respondents, or four per cent, expressed support.
The results of the questionnaire were even more decisive on how ALTO should proceed: 95.1 per cent said comprehensive information and impact assessments should be available before municipalities enter voluntary agreements or grant permissions. Among the respondents, 98.2 per cent said municipalities and communities must have meaningful opportunities to participate in the planning process. And 96 per cent of respondents said municipal councils should take action to protect municipal interests before agreements or permissions are granted.
“These candidates are adding their names to a growing list of organizations, associations, community groups and politicians who have already raised serious concerns about Alto,” said Alt-no Director and acclaimed East Hawkesbury Councillor, Kathleen O’Connell Renaud. “At what point do those pushing this project start listening? How many more voices have to say ‘no’? she added.
The organizations opposed to the project believe the results are significant because they come from candidates seeking to represent communities that could ultimately be responsible for dealing with many of the project’s local impacts.
“Alto can spend millions on consultation, advertising and communications, but public relations cannot manufacture trust.” said Alt-no spokesperson and East Hawkesbury resident, Kristin Muller. “You cannot market your way out of a lack of social consent.”
The questionnaire results and demands for greater scrutiny by municipalities come as the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) has released the first part of an independent assessment of Alto. The PBO is an independent office which scrutinizes government spending and reports directly to Parliament. The PBO report estimates construction costs at $75 billion to $113 billion, which is higher than the government’s estimate of $60 billion to $90 billion.
According to United Against Alto, a second PBO report will examine whether projected ridership would be sufficient to support the system’s operations. “For months, communities have been asking for the numbers, the evidence and the business case,” said United Against Alto spokesperson Heather Levy of Stone Mills, which is located north of Napanee in Lennox and Addington County. “Now the Parliamentary Budget Officer is asking some of those same fundamental questions. For a project of this size, Canadians should have those answers before irreversible decisions are made and before another dollar is allocated for Alto,” added Levy.
Participation in the candidate questionnaire was voluntary. Completed questionnaires will be accepted until 5pm on October 19, 2026. Full results will be available on www.unitedagainstalto.ca on October 20, 2026.
