Alto High speed rail
Project information page

At the October 6, 2026, meeting of Council, Council reviewed a staff report from Acting CAO/Municipal Treasurer Nancy Sinclair, provided to update Council and the public on a recent discussion between municipal staff and Alto held on September 17.

Read the report here: Page 126 of the agenda of October 6, 2026

At the September 15, 2026, meeting of Council, Council passed MOTION2026-347, directing staff to create and maintain a dedicated Alto information page on the Municipal website, and to include correspondence received by the Municipality from Alto on regular Council agendas moving forward:

Moved by Councillor Eric Daoust
Seconded by Councillor Bernie Donaldson

WHERAS the Municipality of Marmora and Lake is located within a corridor study area which is being considered by the Federal Government’s Alto high speed rail project for a route between Toronto and Quebec City;

WHEREAS the Council of the Municipality of Marmora and Lake passed MOTION2026-144 on April 7, 2026, formally opposing the proposed Alto high speed rail project;

WHEREAS residents of the Municipality of Marmora and Lake do not have a consolidated source of information, access to all documentation or records of interactions between Alto, the public and the Municipality; Page 4 of 7 Council Meeting September 15, 2026

AND WHEREAS Council desires to improve communication, transparency, awareness, and public access to information regarding the proposed Alto project and its potential impacts on the Municipality of Marmora and Lake;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council direct staff to create and maintain a dedicated Alto information page on the Municipality of Marmora and Lake’s website;

THAT the page be used to provide residents with current and chronological information related to the Alto project, including Council decisions/resolutions, staff reports, public notices and announcements, public and internal meeting dates, links to Federal Government and Alto resources and information, and any other related information deemed appropriate by staff;

THAT any correspondence received by the Municipality from Alto shall be included on a regular agenda under Correspondence for Direction, to be received for information, in a timely manner;

AND FURTHER THAT that any meetings held between staff and Alto shall be reported on at a regular meeting of Council under Staff Reports, in a timely manner.

Carried.

See MOTION2026-347 here: Page 4 of the minutes of September 15, 2026

At the September 15, 2026, meeting of Council, Council received a report from Acting CAO/Treasurer Nancy Sinclair. The report sought Council direction on whether the Municipality should enter into Alto’s proposed Confidential Information Sharing Agreement, commonly known as a non-disclosure agreement or NDA.

Council passed MOTION2026-343:

Moved by Councillor Eric Daoust Seconded by Councillor Bernie Donaldson

THAT Council accept this ‘Confidential Information Sharing Agreement (NDA) Alto High-Speed Rail Project’ report, dated September 15, 2026;

THAT Council decline to execute the proposed Confidential Information Sharing Agreement (NDA) with Alto;

AND FURTHER THAT Council direct staff to advise Alto that the Municipality remains willing to participate in public consultation and request that all non-confidential project information relevant to Marmora and Lake be provided as it becomes available.

Carried 5-0 on a recorded vote.

Read the staff report here: Page 14 of the agenda of September 15, 2026)

See MOTION2026-343 here: Page 3 of the minutes of September 15, 2026

At the September 1, 2026, meeting of Council, Council received correspondence from Alto, as part of the agenda package: Alto’s High-Speed Rail Economic Opportunity Summary.

Read the correspondence here: Page 28 of the agenda of September 1, 2026

Councillor Daoust gave a Notice of Motion related to Alto information sharing.

Read the Notice of Motion here: Page 44 of the agenda of September 1, 2026

On July 17, Mayor O'Neill and CAO John Connolly met with representatives of Alto to discuss Alto's proposed high-speed rail project. During that meeting, Mayor O'Neill presented Alto with a list of questions from the Crowe Lake Waterway Association (CLWA).

On August 5, the Municipality shared Alto’s written response to those questions.

Read the announcement here: https://tinyurl.com/mvzxxzun

On June 23, the Municipality shared a public notice on the Marmora and Lake website and communications channels to inform residents that Alto had released a “What We Heard” public engagement report.

The report summarized feedback from in-person, virtual and Indigenous consultation sessions held between January and April 2026.

Attendees at those sessions had the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback about the proposed project. Feedback was also collected via virtual sessions, online surveys, and exit surveys.

Read the public notice here: https://tinyurl.com/bdf47aek

See the full report here: https://tinyurl.com/4juvpaye

At the April 7 meeting of Council, Council passed MOTION2026-144: A resolution to oppose the proposed Alto High Speed Rail Project.

Moved by Mayor Jan O'Neill
Seconded by Councillor Ron Derry

THAT Council accept this “ALTO High Speed Rail Project Update” report, dated April 7, 2026;

AND WHEREAS Council at its regular meeting of March 17, 2026, received letters of concern for information and passed MOTION2026-122 and MOTION2026-124;

WHEREAS the CAO and Mayor attended Public Information Sessions on March 5th in Madoc Township and March 25th in Stirling;

WHEREAS the CAO and Mayor attended an invitation-only Corridor Panel Discussion Roundtable on March 24th in Madoc Township and the invitation only included municipal representatives, stakeholders and Hastings County participants;

WHEREAS the details of these meetings, the Alto presentation from November 4th, 2025, and the Alto presentation "Panel Discussion" are included in the CAO's report from April 7, 2026;

WHEREAS the response received by Alto to date to the list of questions provided are general in nature and speak more to process and next steps, and do not provide the detailed information that Council and members of the Marmora and Lake community are seeking; and, at this time, there is no obvious benefit to the Municipality of Marmora and Lake, only negative impact to the infrastructure, the environment and increased service delivery demands on already strained resources;

WHEREAS resolutions of opposition to the Alto High Speed Rail by the Eastern Ontario Wardens' Caucus, Hastings County Council and surrounding municipalities have been passed; WHEREAS there has been considerable opposition by residents and the public through social media, petitions and letters to Council, MPs and MPPs; WHEREAS the preliminary study corridor mapping released by Alto indicates that a potential route could pass through and impact the Municipality of Marmora and Lake; WHEREAS there was no public consultation within the Municipality of Marmora and Lake and there was insufficient promotion to advise residents of opportunities to do so in other communities;

WHEREAS Alto was unwilling to hold an engagement session directly within the Municipality of Marmora and Lake, or appear before the Council of Marmora and Lake as a delegation with updated proposal changes and project developments; Page 6 of 12 Council Meeting April 7, 2026

WHEREAS Alto is, at this time, unable to provide complete and satisfactory answers to questions brought forward by Council, the public and municipal staff;

WHEREAS the currently identified study corridor would have significant potential long-term economic consequences within the Municipality of Marmora and Lake for local residents, including reduced property values, constraints on future land use, and impacts on agricultural land;

WHEREAS the proposed corridor raises serious concerns regarding impacts to agricultural operations and established farmland, crucial local waterways and environmentally protected areas, municipal roads, infrastructure and utilities, private property and recreational trails;

WHEREAS the proposed corridor would bring additional costs and negative effects to the levels of service provided by the Municipality, local organizations and businesses, including road plowing and maintenance, school busses and emergency vehicles, farming and agriculture, and local recreational trail networks;

WHEREAS both the short- and long-term local economic and socioeconomic benefits have not been made clear, nor has a community benefit agreement been presented or proposed;

WHEREAS there has been no timeline provided on release of a refined study corridor for the northern route passing through the Municipality of Marmora and Lake, leaving the Municipality and its residents in uncertainty; AND

WHEREAS the Municipality of Marmora and Lake supports responsible transportation infrastructure that strengthens regional connectivity while respecting and supporting the needs of local rural Ontario communities;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Council of the Municipality of Marmora and Lake pass this resolution to oppose the proposed Alto High Speed Rail Project;

THAT this resolution be circulated to Alto, the Minister of Transportation, the local Member of Parliament, the local Provincial Member of Parliament, the Member Municipalities in Hastings County, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA), and Hastings County; AND FURTHER THAT this resolution be submitted to the Alto engagement portal on behalf of the Council of the Municipality of Marmora and Lake.

Carried as Amended.

See MOTION2026-144 here: Page 5 of the minutes of April 7, 2026

At the April 7, 2026, meeting of Council, Council received a report from CAO John F. Connolly. The report provided Council with an update on the ALTO High Speed Rail consultations, as well as the Corridor Roundtable Discussion meeting held on March 24, 2026, in Madoc, Ontario.

Read the full report here: Page 46 of the agenda of April 1, 2026

Alto hosted an open house and public engagement session in Stirling-Rawdon at the Stirling and District Lions Club.

Read Alto’s announcement here: https://www.altotrain.ca/en/node/233

On March 18, the Municipality shared an update on the Marmora and Lake website and communications channels to inform the public about upcoming in-person and virtual public engagement sessions, and about an extension to the public consultation period.

Read the announcement here: https://tinyurl.com/ycyn3nau

At the March 17, 2026, meeting of Council, Council received correspondence from three residents that included questions and concerns related the proposed Alto high-speed rail project, requesting information about public consultation and engagement opportunities.

In response, Council passed the following motions:

MOTION2026-122, directing staff to prepare a report and presentation for the next meeting of Council based on the stakeholder "roundtable" meeting scheduled for March 24, 2026.

Moved by Councillor Eric Daoust
Seconded by Councillor Jane Lakatos

THAT Council receive the letter for information;

AND FURTHER THAT Council direct the CAO to provide a staff report to be presented at the April 7th Council meeting based on the stakeholder "roundtable" meeting scheduled for March 24th that includes details of the information presented, a copy of the presentation, and a list of any questions asked on behalf of the Municipality and the answers provided by Alto.

Carried

Read the letter here: https://tinyurl.com/48fd82rt

See MOTION2026-122 here: Page 6 of the minutes March 17, 2026

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Council passed MOTION2026-123 to direct staff to post information about upcoming online and in-person public engagement sessions.

Moved by Councillor Eric Daoust
Seconded by Councillor Jane Lakatos

THAT Council receive the letter for information;

AND FURTHER THAT Council direct staff to put out a public notice on the municipal website reminding residents of the March 25th public consultation session in Stirling, the added online engagement session on March 23rd, and also inform them of the extended consultation period, which now ends on April 24th.

Carried

Read the letter here: https://tinyurl.com/4m2ab8ku

See MOTION2026-123 here: Page 6 of the minutes of March 17, 2026

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Council passed MOTION2026-124 to ask Alto to host a public engagement session within the Municipality of Marmora and Lake or, alternatively, that Alto attend Council as a delegation to provide updated information about the project in advance of the April 24 consultation feedback deadline.

Moved by Councillor Eric Daoust
Seconded by Councillor Jane Lakatos

THAT Council receive the letter for information;

THAT Council direct staff to make a request to Alto to host a public engagement session within the Municipality of Marmora and Lake, in advance of the April 24, 2026, consultation feedback deadline;

AND FURTHER THAT, should a public engagement session not be possible, Council direct staff to ask Alto to return as a delegation at a regular or special meeting of Council by April 21st, in advance of the April 24, 2026, consultation feedback deadline, as the information provided by Alto at the November 4, 2025, meeting has significantly changed.

Carried

Read the letter here: https://tinyurl.com/5etjvkj7

See MOTION2026-124 here: Page 6 of the minutes of March 17, 2026

Alto hosted an open house and public engagement session in Madoc Township at the Madoc Township Recreation Centre.

Read Alto’s announcement here: https://www.altotrain.ca/en/node/230

At the January 20, 2026, meeting, Council received correspondence from Centre Hastings Mayor Tom Deline, requesting that Marmora and Lake Council:

• Consider endorsing the regional advocacy position through a Council resolution or letter of support; and

• Join Centre Hastings and other neighbouring municipalities in communicating the shared regional value of future Alto access via the Madoc, Provincial Highway 7 and Provincial Highway 62-area.

Council passed MOTION2026-009:

Moved by Councillor Eric Daoust
Seconded by Councillor Ron Derry

THAT Council direct staff to complete the form letter provided by Centre Hastings and support their application for a Madoc-area station.

Carried.

See the correspondence here: Page 61 of the agenda of January 20, 2026

See MOTION2026-009 here: Page 4 of the minutes of January 20, 2026

On January 8, the Municipality provided notice on the Marmora and Lake website and communication channels of upcoming Alto public engagement sessions in Madoc Township and Stirling-Rawdon.

Read the announcement here: https://tinyurl.com/yzyf7ssn

At the November 4, 2025, meeting of Council, Alto representatives Alexis Doyle and Peter Paz made a delegation to Council about the proposed Alto high speed rail project.

See the presentation here: Page 5 of the agenda of November 25, 2025

Watch the presentation on our YouTube channel here: November 25, 2025 Meeting - YouTube