Alto high-speed rail line will likely cost $23 billion more than anticipated, budget officer says - Toronto Star
Skeptics of the project have questioned the cost of the line — both financially and in terms of the land that would need to be expropriated.
The proposed high speed rail line would follow a roughly 1,000 kilometre corridor between Toronto to Quebec City, and connect seven cities in Ontario and Quebec.
Canada’s first high-speed rail line could cost as much as $113 billion to build, according to an analysis published by the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) on Thursday — significantly higher than the federal government’s previous $90-billion estimate.
The project, which has been assigned to Crown corporation Alto, would create a roughly 1,000-kilometre rail corridor linking Toronto and Quebec City.
Skeptics of the project have questioned the cost of the line — both financially and in terms of the land that would need to be expropriated — while proponents have argued the “nation-building” project is essential for Canada’s long-term growth.
The PBO said the range reflects the uncertainty involved in estimating the cost of large-scale rail infrastructure projects, drawing on international construction experience and assumptions about the proposed Canadian route. The analysis also does not account for a possible change to the preferred route that would take the line through Kingston.
The federal office further estimated the project would provide a “modest economic stimulus.” Its first proposed segment, connecting Ottawa and Montreal, is projected to increase real GDP annually by about $1.8 billion in 2029 and $2.0 billion by 2033.
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Construction on the line would also generate additional employment, with the number of jobs projected to rise from about 4,300 to 9,000 during the construction period.
Anastasia Blosser is a staff reporter with the Toronto Star. She can be reached at: ablosser@thestar.ca
