Skip to Content Subscribe Our Offers My Account Manage My Subscriptions FAQ Newsletters Canada Canadian True Crime Canadian Politics Health World Israel & Middle East Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Comics NP News Quiz New York Times Crossword Horoscopes Life Eating & Drinking Style Sponsored Play for Ontario Travel Travel Canada Travel USA Travel International Cruises Travel Essentials Culture Books Celebrity Movies Music Theatre Television Business Essentials Advice Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Buy Canadian Home Living Outdoor Living Kitchen & Dining Tech Style & Beauty Personal Care Entertainment & Hobbies Gift Guide Travel Guide Amazon Prime Day Deals Savings National Post Store More Sports Hockey Baseball Basketball Football Soccer Golf Tennis Driving Vehicle Research Reviews News Gear Guide Obituaries Place an Obituary Place an In Memoriam Classifieds Place an Ad Celebrations Working Business Ads Archives Healthing Epaper Manage Print Subscription Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ Newsletters Canada World Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Life Shopping Epaper Manage Print Subscription HomeNewsCanadaCanadian PoliticsCitizen groups, farmers and MPs to protest Alto high-speed rail project on Parliament HillCommunities along the proposed route between Toronto and Quebec City are now growing increasingly concerned about land expropriationsLast updated 5 minutes ago You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.People protest against the proposed Alto high-speed train in Camden East, Ont. on Sunday, March 8, 2026. Photo by Elliot Ferguson/The Whig-Standard/Postmedia/FileOTTAWA — Conservative and Bloc Québécois MPs will be alongside agricultural producers and citizen groups from Quebec and Ontario to oppose Alto’s high-speed rail project. The demonstration is expected to rally hundreds of people on Parliament Hill around noon.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorA press release from l’Union des producteurs agricoles, a trade union representing agricultural workers in Quebec, said the protest aims to raise awareness about the many impacts the project would have on local communities, including forced expropriations.Concerns are particularly strong around Mirabel, north of Montreal, which saw thousands of citizens forced to relocate decades ago for an airport terminal that never really took off.But other communities along the proposed route between Toronto and Quebec City are now growing increasingly uncomfortable with the expropriation powers the federal government is giving Alto, the Crown corporation behind the project, to build the rail.North Belleville Against Alto, Save Stone Mills and Tyendinaga Township Landowners Coalition are among the citizen groups expected to be part of the protest on Wednesday.Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has previously called on the government to cancel the project, which has been estimated to cost between $60 billion to $90 billion.On Tuesday, Poilievre got up in the House of Commons to ask why the Liberal government will be sacrificing farmlands along the proposed route for “another boondoggle.”“This will be the biggest infrastructure project in Canada’s history,” said Prime Minister Mark Carney, adding that a 60-metre wide corridor would be required for the future train track.Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet has said his party supported the idea of high-speed rail even before the Liberals did. But the Bloc is now opposing the Alto project, arguing there is a lack of transparency on its real cost and the expropriation process.The Bloc’s provincial cousin, the Parti Québécois, is now promising to axe the Quebec portion of the project should it form government in October.Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon admitted that would effectively kill the project.“Let’s be clear. There is no Alto project without Quebec,” he said on Tuesday.National Post calevesque@postmedia.comOur website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our newsletters here. Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.