Canada's first high-speed train will link Montreal and Ottawa

The federal government revealed plans last week to make the Naitonal Capital Region-to-Montreal connection the inaugural stretch of a massive rail infrastructure initiative spanning Ontario and Quebec.

Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon laid out the vision on December 12 alongside Martin Imbleau, who leads Alto, the Crown corporation steering the venture. Their choice: a roughly 200-kilometre line between the two cities, including a Laval stop, as the logical starting point for what's been billed as one of the country's largest-ever public works undertakings.

Why this route first? Geography and logistics. The terrain is flatter and more straightforward than other portions of the eventual Toronto-to-Quebec City corridor, allowing construction crews in both provinces to mobilize simultaneously. Officials are targeting 2029 for breaking ground—an ambitious timeline given Canada's track record with major transit projects.