Farm groups urge a pause on Alto’s high-speed rail proposal over concerns about farmland loss, rural impacts, and long-term food security.
As planning progresses for Alto, the proposed high speed rail corridor linking Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec City, Canada’s farm leaders are urging governments and project planners to hit pause. Their message is clear: the project’s current path risks carving through some of the most productive agricultural land in Ontario and Quebec.
Alto, a federal Crown corporation, says the high speed rail line will connect millions of Canadians along the country’s busiest corridor. According to the organization, “Alto will bring cities and people closer together and create significant socio-economic benefits that will help generations to come.”
But farm groups warn those benefits cannot come at the expense of irreplaceable farmland and the long term health of rural communities.
Farm Organizations Urge Immediate Suspension
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) and l’Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA) are calling for the project to be suspended while a more transparent, cautious assessment takes place.
Their concerns stem from early alignment maps showing the rail corridor running directly through regions with some of the richest agricultural soils in both provinces.
“Ontario’s farmland is a strategic provincial and national asset, and the highest and best use of our arable land is for agriculture – and let’s not forget that agriculture and agri-food is a cornerstone of Ontario’s economic prosperity,” says OFA President Drew Spoelstra.
Spoelstra notes that Ontario’s agriculture and agri food sector contributes $51 billion annually to the provincial economy and supports 10 per cent of the workforce.
UPA President General Martin Caron points to long-term risks for rural communities and warns against repeating past planning mistakes. “Projects deemed to be of ‘national interest’ must not compromise the vitality of rural communities, the long-term viability of agricultural businesses and farmland, maple and forestry potential, or the food security of the population, which should be the true priority,” he says, citing the development of Mirabel Airport as an example of the consequences of poor consultation.
Caron stresses the need to “properly assess the relevance and impacts of the high-speed rail project and conduct thorough public consultations before moving forward.”
Key Demands from OFA and UPA
The organizations are urging provincial and federal governments—and Alto—to commit to the following:
- Stay out of prime agricultural areas.
- Avoid fragmenting farms and keep fields and farm operations intact.
- Protect farm drainage systems critical for crop production.
- Address farmers’ concerns regarding construction impacts and ongoing operational costs, including fencing and long-term maintenance of safe farm crossings for equipment and livestock.
- Ensure independent, thorough, and publicly available agricultural impact assessments.
CFA Resolution Strengthens Call for a Pause
The push for a suspension gained further momentum following a Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) resolution passed at its Annual General Meeting on February 25. The resolution urges the federal government to immediately halt the proposed high speed rail project to allow for comprehensive economic, social, and environmental impact assessments, alongside meaningful consultations with agricultural, forestry, and rural communities.
Should the project ultimately proceed, the CFA states it must:
- Maintain full access to farmland, maple groves, and woodlands.
- Provide properly sized agricultural and forestry crossings, with a minimum width of 10 metres.
- Ensure farmers receive fair and proportional compensation to reflect the permanent and significant impact of a rail corridor—greater, in their view, than typical infrastructure such as highways or transmission lines.
Alto Responds: “We Are Listening”
In response to growing concerns, Alto released a statement reaffirming its commitment to work collaboratively with farmers across both provinces. “Following the resolution adopted by the Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA) and the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), Alto reiterates its commitment to working constructively with farmers in Québec and Ontario, so that the project reflects agricultural realities and delivers regional benefits.”
Alto said that its consultation process is already underway. To date, the corporation reports:
- 140,000+ total engagements
- 135,804 visits to its online public consultation platform
- 7,250 in person participants at open houses and roundtables
- 13,344 completed surveys
- 8,000+ comments submitted via its interactive map
These inputs, Alto says, are already helping shape route optimization, environmental evaluations, and mitigation plans. The corporation states it remains committed to “concretely addressing the comments raised during this first wave of consultations” and working with all stakeholders as planning continues.
Farmers can provide their feedback to Alto with this link: https://en.consultation.altotrain.ca/shaping-the-canada-of-tomorrow-with-high-speed-rail. Farmers can also use the online portal to pin location-specific feedback, notes, or concerns directly onto the proposed route map.
A Growing Debate Over Infrastructure and Food Security
The call for a pause underscores a broader national conversation: How should Canada balance major infrastructure development with farmland preservation, environmental protection, and long term food security?
For now, OFA, UPA, and CFA are aligned in demanding a reset—one that ensures the future of Canada’s most valuable farmland is given full consideration before any tracks are laid.