South Frontenac Township, Ont., has taken a firm stand against the proposed Alto high-speed rail project, becoming one of the first municipalities to officially oppose the plan in its current form.
Township council voted unanimously on Tuesday night to reject the proposal, raising significant concerns about the potential environmental impact and the disruption it could cause to rural communities.
Mayor Ron Vandewal says the project, which would build a rail line from Toronto to Quebec City, threatens to physically divide the township.
“I think this would set us back for generations in South Frontenac,” Vandewal said.
Unlike historical rail lines that offered crossings for property owners, Vandewal fears the high-speed nature of the corridor would permanently split farmland.
“It’s going to basically separate our municipality,” Vandewal said. “It’s going to cut through farmland where farmers can’t go on one side or the other, they’re going to have to go all the way around…. Unlike the train of old, if it went through your property, you had a crossing; you could still use your property.”
The mayor noted that the township’s position aligns with Kingston Mayor Bryan Paterson’s. According to Vandewal, Paterson believes that if a southern corridor is built, it must route through the city and include a station to provide economic value.
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Although the rail project falls under federal jurisdiction, Kingston and the Islands MPP Ted Hsu is getting involved. Hsu has requested a meeting with Alto executives to question why the route targets rural areas rather than following existing infrastructure.
Alto has launched an online survey and will host in-person public consultation sessions in South Frontenac on Feb. 18.
“This is the time of public consultation and you can go online and tell them what you think,” Hsu said.
While municipal approval is not strictly required for the project to proceed, officials say affected communities must voice their concerns now.
— with files from Fawwaz Muhammad-Yusuf
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