The Alto high-speed rail project concerns many in the region, especially in Stone Mills Township. Recent news that the Crown corporation purchased land for the project in September has intensified an already tumultuous public debate regarding the project.
Currently, it has not been made public whether Alto has chosen the northern route for the Toronto to Quebec City corridor, or whether they will choose the southern route. The latter would affect much of Southeastern Ontario, including Stone Mills.
According to a recent Farmtario article, a representative from Alto has stated they have not begun their formal acquisition process for properties on the projected route.
“To date, Alto has acquired a single property. It’s important to note that the property was already on the market and presented a potential strategic opportunity in support of the project’s ongoing planning and studies,” said Marlee Socket, senior adviser, media relations and spokesperson. “As with any acquisition decision, Alto acted where there was a sufficient level of certainty that the property could be required to support the project.”
Heather Levy, Community Lead at Stone Mills Against Alto and member of United Against Alto, reiterated that the public has not been made aware of the location of the sold property. There are, she added, rumours that it is near a proposed station location.
“That would make some sense given Alto’s stated approach to early property acquisitions, but it's only speculation,” she said.
What concerns the community representative even more is the uncertainty the people of Stone Mills are living with due to the ambiguous nature of the rail project.
“We've heard from a few real estate agents that some prospective buyers are avoiding properties in areas they think might be affected by Alto,” explained Levy. “Others have pointed out that the broader real estate market is already struggling, with many factors influencing property values and decisions to sell or buy. I don't think we can confidently separate those things yet, but there's clearly a human side to all of this that goes beyond the numbers.”
While Alto has not officially announced which route they intend to pursue, the announcement of a possible stop in Kingston this past June has only served to intensify local worries.
Speaking for many locals, Levy noted that homeowners are having to make life altering decisions about buying, selling, or relocating, against the backdrop of uncertainty.
“People are trying to make ordinary decisions about their lives. Do they sell, buy, renovate, retire, or relocate? What if their property, or part of it, is eventually needed? What if it isn't, but they end up living beside the tracks, dealing with construction disruption, noise or changes to the roads and services they depend on? These are questions people are asking now, not just questions for when an alignment is finally announced.”
“People can’t simply put their lives on hold indefinitely while waiting for answers,” added Levy.
On their website, Alto lists three distinct phases of its acquisition process. The first is reliant upon a route being “sufficiently defined”. In this first stage, Alto identifies specific properties likely to be required for the project. If one of these properties comes up for sale, Alto will make an offer at fair market value.
The second phase involves direct communication with property owners. Alto will send formal letters to property owners letting them know their property could be of interest to the project.
The third phase outlined by Alto involves negotiations. In this phase, Alto has stated it will work with property owners individually to reach negotiated agreements, wherever possible.
For the most part, the Crown corporation outlines voluntary, negotiated property deals.
However, Alto also states there “will be circumstances where expropriation is required.” In this case, expropriation is undertaken by the federal government under the Expropriation Act and administered by Public Service and Procurement Canada.
At Alto's Oct. 7 Annual Public Meeting, CEO Martin Imbleau confirmed that a narrowed corridor for the central segment (Ottawa–Montréal) will be released this fall, potentially in November. More specific information will be available in 2027.
Narrowed corridors for the western (Toronto–Ottawa) and eastern (Montréal–Québec City) segments are expected in early 2027.
The announcement regarding the western corridor should clarify whether Alto has chosen the northern or southern route. Until then, the people of Stone Mills wait in a high-stakes limbo, the future of their homes and community uncertain.
Sarah Williams, LJI Reporter, The Napanee Beaver