Ottawa Unlimited Responds to Federal Government Identifying Alto High-Speed Rail Train As Project of National Significance

September 11, 2025 - Ottawa ON - Ottawa Unlimited welcomes the federal government’s decision to identify the Alto High-Speed Rail project as a project of national significance under consideration by the new Major Projects Office.

This is a defining moment for Canada as we look to build transformative infrastructure that will drive prosperity, strengthen connections, and shape our future.

For Ottawa, the Alto project represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity. High-speed rail will place Canada’s capital on the same level as other G7 capitals that have long benefited from modern high-speed rail networks, ensuring that Ottawa is a globally competitive, accessible, and attractive destination for visitors, talent, and investment. By reducing travel times to under one hour between Ottawa and Montréal, and just over two hours between Ottawa and Toronto, this project has the potential to dramatically expand tourism, strengthen our visitor economy, and enhance Ottawa’s role as the cultural and political heart of Canada.

The demand is already clear. This summer was the busiest on summer on record for tourism since 2019, with visitor spending in Ottawa rising 7% and July and August being the busiest on record for their respective months. One factor that contributed was the federal government’s Canada Strong Pass, which made train travel more accessible and showed that under the right conditions, Canadians are eager to use rail alongside other modes of regional transportation. High-speed rail would take that momentum even further, making Ottawa more accessible and attractive for travellers from across the corridor and around the world.

This project will accelerate the flow of people, commerce, and ideas while breaking down barriers to internal trade, diversifying markets, increasing productivity and supporting our climate goals. It will not only strengthen our regional economy but also contribute to Canada’s sovereignty and resilience in a fast-changing global economy.

Ottawa Unlimited – a partnership between Ottawa Tourism, Invest Ottawa, and the Ottawa Board of Trade - applauds this important step forward. We look forward to working with governments, Indigenous partners, and private sector leaders as this project advances through further development. Together, we can help unlock the economic, social, and environmental benefits of high-speed rail, and ensure that Ottawa and Canada are positioned for success in the century ahead.