“Canadians deserve a fast and reliable train service,” said Minister Alghabra. “Today, we are taking the first steps in preparing for the procurement process to build a new train service in the Toronto to Quebec City Corridor. High Frequency Rail in the Toronto to Quebec City Corridor is a massive transportation project with the potential to transform passenger rail service by offering faster, more reliable, more frequent and cleaner transportation service.”
Duclos added: “Today’s announcement on the start of preliminary work and new resources for the Joint Project Office brings us one step closer to accomplishing this important project for our city and our region. In a few years, thousands of commuters will opt for this way of travelling, rather than by car or by plane, as it will be faster, more reliable, economical and environmentally sustainable.”
In addition to shorter travel times, the service will also result in more reliable on-time arrival performance up to 95% from a current average of 67%, as well as more direct routes with improved connectivity between cities and to other modes of transportation. It will also result in new services to certain communities such as Peterborough, Trois-Rivières and Laval, as well as new stations in targeted locations like Jean Lesage Airport.
Working with VIA Rail, the High Frequency Rail proposal would be the largest transportation infrastructure project seen by Canada in decades, which is why the Government of Canada is undertaking a phased approach to ensure the right conditions are put in place. Earlier this year as part of the 2021 budget, Ottawa announced its pledge of $491.2 million in funding over six years to VIA Rail Canada for infrastructure investments.
