Greater Napanee, Stone Mills councils discuss impacts of proposed high speed rail project

Greater Napanee and Stone Mills councils both addressed the ramifications a proposed high speed rail could have on their respective communities.

Diving into the issue during their meeting on Tuesday, Greater Napanee council received a staff report for information regarding the potential Alto high-speed rail line.

As per the report, there is currently a public consultation underway for a high-speed rail project, which would see a high-speed rail network developed between Toronto and Quebec City. 

Currently, an alternate route for the rail line is being explored that would bring it closer to Kingston and through parts of Lennox and Addington County. 

Although the rail line would cut through the region, there is no plan, at this point, to add a stop between Ottawa and Peterborough. There are lobbying efforts underway to add a station near Kingston.

On March 26, Greater Napanee CAO Matthew Grant  will be attending a regional stakeholder meeting to learn more about the potential implications of this project locally. 

It is worth noting that this particular rail line is a federal project.

Deputy mayor Brian Calver noted it would be nice to have “more clarity” on the project, admitting “we don’t have a lot of legs to run on, as this is a federal project.”

After the stakeholder meeting, Grant noted staff would bring forward a report and schedule more meetings.

-Neighbouring Stone Mills Township discussed the issue during their meeting, which was held Monday. After hearing three deputations speak out on the manner, council weighed in.

‘A direct motion was proposed by councillor Shari Milligan and passed unanimously by council opposing the proposed Alto high-speed rail southern route alignment through or near the Township and objects to expropriation for this corridor given the lack of local benefit and the disproportionate impact on the Township's agricultural land base and rural residents and calls upon Alto and the Government of Canada to remove rural municipal lands from consideration where communities will experience disruption without service benefit,’ reads a report from Stone Mills council.

On their social media page, Stone Mills informed residents Alto will host two public meetings on Wednesday, Feb. 18 at the Storrington Lions Club, located in South Frontenac Township. The first will take place from 11a.m. - 3 p.m. and the second will be in the evening from 5-9 p.m. 

The Storrington Lion’s Club is located at 2992 Princess Rd, Inverary.