Alto is committed to working closely with the agricultural community as the project moves forward.
Through ongoing discussions with major agricultural associations in Ontario and in Québec, Alto provides opportunities for the agricultural community to share input through working groups and other engagement forums.
This engagement complements direct discussions with individual property owners and farm operators, ensuring that feedback is heard at both the regional and local levels.
We are also seeking to develop collaboration agreements with associations to help clarify and formalize commitments over time, informed by continued dialogue, technical studies, and stakeholder feedback. Beyond the project itself, Alto seeks to support long-term agricultural vitality through targeted programs and investments, including initiatives that enhance productivity and support the next generation of agricultural producers.
The importance of collaboration
Agricultural land and farm operations are shaped by local experience, practical realities, and long-term planning. We recognize that meaningful engagement with producers and agricultural organizations is essential to developing approaches that reflect how farming works in practice.
This collaboration will help inform:
- Agricultural compensation frameworks
- Farm access and circulation
- Access roads and grade-separated crossings
- Construction practices on agricultural land
- Topsoil, drainage, fencing, and restoration approaches
- Broader measures to reduce disruption to farm operations
Communities and local benefits
As part of this broader conversation, Alto is looking at the potential creation of an agricultural land trust and at other community benefits that could support agricultural communities and respond to local priorities.
Initiatives we are exploring
Alto is looking at ways to contribute to supporting farmers, including through an agricultural land trust, that could support long-term initiatives connected to the project. These could include initiatives to strengthen the agricultural community, such as opportunities for the youth, innovation, knowledge-sharing, or other priorities identified with associations. This solution is being explored as one way to help offset the loss of agricultural land by supporting initiatives that improve productivity on remaining land.
We are also exploring broader community benefits that would respond to local priorities.
Community benefits are the additional investments that will be made by Alto to ensure the project benefits all Canadians, including those who are not directly served by a station. These benefits would provide jobs, training, business opportunities, and lasting community enhancements, ensuring shared prosperity across both urban and rural areas.
Once the high-speed train’s route is confirmed, Alto will work directly with provincial and municipal authorities, segment by segment to advance community benefits solutions shaped by input from local residents, so they genuinely reflect community needs and priorities as the project develops.