Ontario Landowners Association Forum - Recent Posts

RE: High-Speed Rail System and New Expropriation Act

ShirleyDolan — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:12:01 +0000

The Great Divide - Urban versus Rural; the entitled versus the ordinary person.

Political strategists agree Alto is a terrible idea

This was a great discussion between liberal, conservative and NDP political strategists who all end up agreeing that Alto is going to be a disaster for the government.

"Rail that is marginally better than what we have now".

Watch at https://www.facebook.com/reel/1616887366094641

RE: High-Speed Rail System and New Expropriation Act

ShirleyDolan — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 21:03:38 +0000

The Farmers Forum has published a number of articles on the high-speed rail:

https://farmersforum.com/analysis-high-speed-rail-that-no-one-asked-for/

https://farmersforum.com/ontario-beef-farmers-pass-17-resolutions/

https://farmersforum.com/farm-groups-urge-govt-to-slam-brakes-on-alto-bullet-train/

https://farmersforum.com/proposed-bullet-train-to-likely-cut-through-eastern-ontario-farmland/

https://farmersforum.com/will-mps-ride-for-free-on-altos-high-speed-rail-service/

RE: High-Speed Rail System and New Expropriation Act

ShirleyDolan — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 11:03:03 +0000

This just in (March 24, 2026) - a map of the corridor that you can actually read. Why couldn't Alto have done this? This didn't work on my mobile but works wonderfully on my laptop. Kudos to those who developed it.

Want to print a snapshot of the map? Click on Share View on the bottom left-hand corner of the screen. Download and print.

https://highspeedrailmap.ca/

RE: High-Speed Rail System and New Expropriation Act

ShirleyDolan — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 14:10:32 +0000

Gord Boulton says he is stopping his donations to Ducks Unlimited and the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) because, despite repeated requests to do so, they have not issued a statement on the Alto High-Speed Rail project. See his comments here: https://www.facebook.com/reel/923882600382584

This just in (March 25, 2025), the OFAH does not support the high-speed rail project "due to its widespread negative impacts on land use, connectivity, fish and wildlife habitat, and everything anglers and hunters care about". See https://www.ofah.org/policy-subs/ofah-voices-opposition-to-alto-highspeed-rail/

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture is on record as advocating against the High-Speed Rail, in its current format. They are calling for a pause. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/PlG4DDk1wpw

RE: High-Speed Rail System and New Expropriation Act

ShirleyDolan — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 13:52:52 +0000

Many are suggesting that the Alto High-Speed Rail should run along the 401 corridor and serve more communities. This includes Premier Doug Ford. https://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/article/premier-wants-high-speed-rail-built-along-ontarios-hwy-401-corridor/

Do you agree?

RE: High-Speed Rail System and New Expropriation Act

ShirleyDolan — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 12:50:20 +0000

Well, the plot thickens. From Facebook:

Liberal MP Steven MacKinnon argued in favour of SNC-Lavalin being “entitled” to cut a deal to avoid a criminal trial and potential conviction. So, SNC-Lavalin paid a huge fine of $280 MILLION (to the government ???) as the consequence to pleading guilty to fraud (to avoid a trial) in Dec 2019. And the beauty of all this, the Liberal government had already amended the Criminal Code in 2018 - due to extensive lobbying by SNC-Lavalin - to make it possible to avoid a trial, by paying a fine instead.

So fast forward to 2026 and who is now the Minister of Transport responsible for the roll-out of the Alto HSR? Liberal Cabinet Minister, Steven MacKinnon.

Connect the dots, people! Corruption at its finest.

From Global:

https://globalnews.ca/news/5020986/snc-lavalin-steve-mackinnon-remediation-agreement/

RE: Land Acknowledgements

ShirleyDolan — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 17:53:57 +0000

Musqueam Secures Aboriginal Title Over Lower Mainland with Dallas Brodie

A conversation with Dallas Brodie. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62PMDM2J7uA

RE: High-Speed Rail System and New Expropriation Act

ShirleyDolan — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 13:13:21 +0000

Why High-Speed Rail? Why not High-Frequency Rail - an improvement of the existing Via rail system. Apparently, both options were in the proposal but the consortiums bid only on the High-Speed option. Why? Companies in the consortium like SNC Lavalin will get a bigger payout for a longer period of time.

Apparently, in 2023, Transport Canada also thought HFR was the better option. What changed? See post from Facebook:

So a question that needs to be asked is how did the VIA High Frequency Rail Project become the Alto High speed rail project?

Here is an very interesting excerpt from the Transport Canada website from a March 2023 committee meeting.

“Q15. Why not high-speed rail?

A15. The Government of Canada is committed to shortening journey times and achieving higher speeds in the corridor. Our recent investments are only the beginning of the Government of Canada’s efforts to reinvigorate passenger rail in Canada.

There are many systems around the world that integrate both high speed and high frequency.

Through a progressive public-private partnership, the Government of Canada will work with the private developer partner to assess sections of the High Frequency Rail service for potential high-speed rail, where it provides value for the additional investment.

There will be ongoing assessments as to how the service can be improved over the course of the project. This responsible approach will ensure Canadians get good value for money.

If pressed

High-speed rail can bring great benefits in terms of journey time and travel speed.

However, building an end-to-end high-speed rail system is complex, costly, and time consuming.

For example, a full, high-speed rail system between Québec City and Toronto would require a fully enclosed (fenced) corridor, a straighter alignment with full, double tracking, as well as complete grade separation (the use of viaducts and tunnels) on an alignment that currently has over 1,000 public and private crossings.

A full, high-speed rail service would also be more disruptive to communities and to the ecosystem than the High Frequency Rail project, and lack some of the benefits of connecting regional centres to the new service.

That is why the Government of Canada has established a procurement and co-development approach that allows for a responsible consideration of high-speed segments in the corridor. This will allow a prudent assessment of the benefits and costs of high-speed rail on each segment to determine where high-speed rail could make financial and operational sense, with the goal of integrating such segments into the High Frequency Rail project where possible.”

So why now are we focused on HSR instead of HFR when the government themselves admit to the devastating effects of a HSR over HFR to communities and the ecosystem? They admit there is a lack of benefits of connecting regional centres to new services with HSR, which has been heard and talked about online, in public meetings and stakeholder group meetings.

We need answers!

The government needs to provide transparency and accountability for where our hard earned money is going! There are 90 billion reasons why.

Farms First! Food First!

RE: High-Speed Rail System and New Expropriation Act

ShirleyDolan — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 12:06:20 +0000

From Rebel News:

Introduction to Alto's High-Speed Rail and lessons (not learned) from other rial systems that didn't quite make it.

https://www.rebelnews.com/warning_dont_get_railroaded_by_carneys_quebec_toronto_train

Residents speak out (for or against) after the Alto public consultation in Peterborough:

https://www.rebelnews.com/_90b_high-speed_rail_nightmare_leaves_farmers_feeling_kicked_in_the_gut

RE: High-Speed Rail System and New Expropriation Act

ShirleyDolan — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 11:53:28 +0000

Please consider signing MP Scott Reid's petition opposing the High-Speed Rail system:

https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Search?View=D&type=&keyword=38333&sponsor=&text=Scott%20reid&RPP=20&order=Recent&Page=1&category=Open