Rigaud Council has unanimously adopted a resolution opposing the Alto high-speed rail project in its current form, citing concerns about its potential impacts on residents, agricultural land, natural environments, and the community’s quality of life, as well as inadequate public information and consultation.
Mayor Charles Meunier presented the resolution at the council meeting on Tuesday, October 13, calling on the federal government and Alto to provide independent, transparent assessments of the project’s environmental, economic, social, and financial implications before any irreversible decisions are made about the route or property acquisitions in Rigaud.
Meunier said the proposed project could have significant and lasting impacts on families and property owners within the corridor under study. Those impacts could extend to Rigaud’s agricultural land, natural environments, landscapes, economic activities, connectivity, and quality of life.
“This project is likely to have real, direct, and lasting impacts on citizens, families, and the properties located in the corridor under study, but also broader impacts on the community of Rigaud,” Meunier said.
Council adopted a resolution in June 2026 expressing concerns about the project and calling on Alto to improve its public information and consultation efforts.
Meunier said the municipality has been seeking information from Alto since February 2026, when the project became a concern for families in Rigaud and Pointe-Fortune, as well as residents of other communities along the proposed route.
“We’ve been doing that since the beginning of this process,” he said. “This is a pebble that arrived in our shoe in February.”
The mayor said the municipality has asked Alto to meet with affected families but has yet to see adequate consultation with those along the preferred route or the broader community.
“We asked Alto for a lot of information, but especially for them to meet with these families, not just those along the preferred route, but the entire community, which they haven’t done,” Meunier said.
The resolution calls for independent assessments of the project’s environmental impacts over its life cycle, anticipated economic and social benefits, and financial costs and risks. It also calls for an examination of ridership projections and potential alternatives that could achieve comparable transportation and greenhouse gas reduction objectives.
The municipality is seeking support from the federal and Québec governments, elected representatives for Vaudreuil-Soulanges, and the region’s other municipalities.
Council unanimously approved the resolution without discussion.
