Impact Assessment

A rigorous process shaping project development 

Scientist collecting a water sample in a test tube
Scientist collecting a water sample in a test tube

The impact assessment process is a formal, regulated federal framework that guides how major projects are evaluated before they are approved and developed. Led by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC), an independent federal body, it brings together environmental, social, health, and economic considerations. 

Required under the Impact Assessment Act, the process identifies potential effects, outlines opportunities for engagement with communities and Indigenous Peoples, and informs decision making. 

For the Alto project, this process integrates field studies, technical analyses, and public and Indigenous engagement to assess potential impacts and define appropriate measures to avoid, mitigate, or compensate for them. It ensures that decisions are based on evidence, transparency, and a comprehensive understanding of the project’s effects. 

Segment-by-segment assessment

As required under the High-Speed Rail Network Act, each segment of the high-speed rail network is treated as a separate project and therefore undergoes its own federal impact assessment. The central segment (Ottawa–Montréal) will be assessed first, followed by the rest of the segments.  

While each segment will undergo its own Impact Assessment, cumulative effects will also be considered in accordance with the Impact Assessment Act, including how each segment may interact with other past, existing, and reasonably foreseeable major activities, as well as with the high-speed rail network as a whole. 

Key stages of the impact assessment

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    Pre-planning

    We are here

    Desktop and preliminary field studies are conducted to gather information on the current environmental conditions along the study corridor. The results of these field studies will help guide the rest of our work throughout the Impact Assessment process and allow us to refine the study corridor. 

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    Planning

    Alto will provide the IAAC with a Project Description which will include the refined corridor. Once the Agency finishes their review of the Project Description and provides Alto with the Tailored Impact Statement Guidelines, the Impact Assessment process will begin with the publication by IAAC of a Notice of Commencement.

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    Impact Statement

    Alto will prepare the Impact Statement based on the Tailored Impact Statement Guidelines provided by the Agency. These guidelines provide specific information required by the federal government to conduct their impact assessment.

     

    The Impact Statement is a technical document that will include detailed information about the project’s potential impacts and proposed measures to mitigate these impacts. 

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    Impact Assessment

    Alto will continue to work collaboratively with the IAAC while it drafts the Impact Assessment Report in response to Alto’s Impact Statement, providing responses to any additional information requests from the IAAC or other federal agencies or Indigenous Nations.

     

    Alto will also provide input on potential mitigation measures and follow-up requirements that could be included as part of the draft potential conditions for the project. 

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    Decision

    Alto will receive the Decision Statement, signed by the Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Nature. If the Minister decides that the project is allowed to proceed, the Decision Statement will list all conditions that Alto must adhere to during the life of the project.

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    Post Decision

    Alto will implement and monitor the conditions listed in the Decision Statement, working with the IAAC and other regulators to meet these requirements, and obtain or maintain any remaining federal permits. This will last for as long as the project is operational. 

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    Our Environmental Approach

    Sustainability is embedded at every stage of the high-speed rail project. Discover how a structured and recognized environmental approach guides the project’s development, from planning through construction and operations.

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    2 scientists studying a waterway
    2 scientists studying a waterway

    Field Studies 

    As part of the impact assessment, field studies allow us to better understand current environmental, health, social and economic conditions. 

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    Collaboration with Indigenous communities

    Alto will continue to work with potentially impacted Indigenous communities throughout the Impact Assessment process. 

    Ongoing discussions help integrate community perspectives, input, and expertise into the evaluation of the project's potential impacts. They also help inform the identification of measures to avoid, mitigate, or compensate for those impacts.  

    Alto will maintain a flexible and collaborative approach throughout the Impact Assessment process to support evidence-based, transparent decision-making. Our goal is to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the project's potential environmental effects, including potential impacts on Indigenous communities and the exercise of their established or asserted rights. 

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    Indigenous people
    Indigenous people
    Group planting trees
    Group planting trees

    Public Participation

    In addition to the consultations conducted by Alto, there are several opportunities for public participation at various stages of the federal impact assessment process. These opportunities allow individuals, communities, and organizations to provide input and help inform the evaluation of the project. 

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