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MONTRÉAL, March 13, 2026 – The Alto open house in Gatineau that was postponed due to severe weather has been rescheduled to Tuesday, March 24, 2026 at La maison du Citoyen on 25, Laurier Street in Gatineau from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

MONTRÉAL, March 23, 2026 - Alto and its private developer partner, Cadence, are advancing the development of the future high-speed rail network by launching the next stage of the field studies program. This environmental data collection is necessary to deepen our understanding of local conditions, to support the impact assessment process, and to guide planning, engineering and environmental analyses.

The National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association (NACCA) and Alto have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishing a collaborative framework to connect Indigenous businesses, entrepreneurs, and workers to opportunities emerging from one of Canada's most ambitious infrastructure projects: the high-speed rail network along the Toronto to Québec City corridor.

The economic, social, and environmental benefits of Alto are real. For many rural and agricultural communities, the concerns about land, operations, and day-to-day realities are just as real.

The 2024 noise and vibration study focused on documenting and understanding existing noise and vibration conditions at sensitive receptors (schools, elderly housing, etc.) near the project. This will help Alto planners understand some of the project’s potential impact on the surrounding environment during the construction and operation phases.

Bat studies include habitat assessments to identify areas that bats may use to roost, forage, raise their young, and hibernate, as well as studies that record and analyze bat echolocation calls to determine if a habitat is being used by bats and, if so, what species are present. Bats in Canada include both migratory species (bats who travel from one habitat to another during different times of the year) and resident species that hibernate in caves or cave-like features.
Photo by Jonathan Pleizier

Bird studies focus on documenting and understanding the potential habitat of different types of birds, including migratory birds and species at risk, within a given area. Fieldwork will be conducted mostly by doing point counts and using autonomous recording units. The surveys will focus mostly on the following bird habitats: grasslands, marshes and forests.