Ontario Landowners Association Forum - Recent Posts https://ontariolandowners.ca/community/ Ontario Landowners Association Discussion Board en-US Tue, 21 Jul 2026 17:15:19 +0000 wpForo 60 RE: High-Speed Rail System and New Expropriation Act https://ontariolandowners.ca/community/land-use-zoning/high-speed-rail-system-and-new-expropriation-act/paged/3/#post-105 Tue, 21 Jul 2026 12:28:00 +0000 If you are concerned about the Alto High-Speed Rail project, you should be following Erin Durant. Here is her article from July 18 on the powers municipalities have to fight Alto. Some, like Ottawa and Kingston, have signed non-disclosure agreements with Alto, making it difficult for residents to get meaningful information about the project. Here is Erin's article about what municipalities can do.  Speak to your municipal candidates ... they can do more.

https://open.substack.com/pub/thealtofiles/p/municipalities-have-more-power-than?r=1ha6bi&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

]]> ShirleyDolan https://ontariolandowners.ca/community/land-use-zoning/high-speed-rail-system-and-new-expropriation-act/paged/3/#post-105 RE: High-Speed Rail System and New Expropriation Act https://ontariolandowners.ca/community/land-use-zoning/high-speed-rail-system-and-new-expropriation-act/paged/3/#post-104 Tue, 30 Jun 2026 11:53:30 +0000 If you haven't been following Erin Durant's Substack posts (Durant's Rants) about the Alto High-Speed Rail, you are missing out on some important information. Two examples that I found especially disturbing about this project are:

https://thealtofiles.substack.com/p/the-government-didnt-choose-high

https://thealtofiles.substack.com/p/the-wizard-of-alto

]]> ShirleyDolan https://ontariolandowners.ca/community/land-use-zoning/high-speed-rail-system-and-new-expropriation-act/paged/3/#post-104 RE: High-Speed Rail System and New Expropriation Act https://ontariolandowners.ca/community/land-use-zoning/high-speed-rail-system-and-new-expropriation-act/paged/3/#post-103 Wed, 24 Jun 2026 19:06:47 +0000 Thank you City of Ottawa Mayor and Councillors for your unanimous support today on the motion from Councillor Kitts on the Alto High-Speed Rail. Well done! 

Watch here starting at 2:30:30.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gTkwWCsdMg

The motion by Councillor Kitts was seconded by Mayor Sutcliffe. Read the motion here - Item 22.5.

https://pub-ottawa.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=5bbeedc1-95e3-4cf9-8301-5e23f515a7af&Agenda=Agenda&lang=English

]]> ShirleyDolan https://ontariolandowners.ca/community/land-use-zoning/high-speed-rail-system-and-new-expropriation-act/paged/3/#post-103 RE: Land Acknowledgements https://ontariolandowners.ca/community/land-use-zoning/land-acknowledgements/#post-101 Sun, 14 Jun 2026 19:16:56 +0000 Do Canadians Own their Property?

Property Rights in Canada: The Legal Uncertainty Grows | Bruce Pardy

Bruce Pardy covers the recent move by the Supreme Court NOT to hear a decision on Aboriginal Title in New Brunswick - a lost opportunity??

Property Rights in Canada: The Legal Uncertainty Grows | Bruce Pardy

]]> ShirleyDolan https://ontariolandowners.ca/community/land-use-zoning/land-acknowledgements/#post-101 RE: High-Speed Rail System and New Expropriation Act https://ontariolandowners.ca/community/land-use-zoning/high-speed-rail-system-and-new-expropriation-act/paged/3/#post-100 Sun, 14 Jun 2026 18:22:35 +0000 Lots of money for advertising and high bonuses all around. Unbelievable!

On Facebook, Veterans for the Conservative Party of Canada shared this info from Blacklock's Reporter on June 5:

 
Yesterday Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon spoke to MPs about Cabinet’s $90 billion regional high speed rail venture, ALTO.
 
He called it an "exciting transformational project"
 
He said it will "change life as we know it"
 
MacKinnon acknowledged the service will be inaccessible to most Canadians, but said it would create “new worlds of intercity travel” for some Ontarians and Québecers.
 
Testifying at the Commons finance committee, House Leader MacKinnon predicted “robust economic benefits.” He acknowledged cost estimates were not finalized.
 
“Can you tell us how many metres of track have been laid for the Alto project?” asked MP Hallan.
“None,” replied MacKinnon.
 
“Can you tell us why $3 million in bonuses have been given out?” asked MP Hallan.
“It is Crown corporation,” replied MacKinnon. “They follow the Treasury Board guidelines for performance management.”
 
An Inquiry Of Ministry tabled June 1 in the Commons disclosed a total $2,758,968 in bonuses were paid to 134 Alto staff.
The figures were tabled at the request of Opposition House Leader Andrew Scheer.
 
]]> ShirleyDolan https://ontariolandowners.ca/community/land-use-zoning/high-speed-rail-system-and-new-expropriation-act/paged/3/#post-100 RE: High-Speed Rail System and New Expropriation Act https://ontariolandowners.ca/community/land-use-zoning/high-speed-rail-system-and-new-expropriation-act/paged/3/#post-99 Sun, 07 Jun 2026 12:10:38 +0000 Under the heading of "Believe it or Not!"

Alto is sponsoring the Festival Franco-Ontarien!  What a slap in the face to franco-ontariens in Eastern Ontario that will have their property expropriated.

Update: the post on Festival Franco-Onterien's Facebook past noting support from ALTO has been taken down.

Update: The Festival and Alto have ceased their relationship. Bravo to all who raised awareness to this tone deaf move by Alto to fund the Festival and the Festival to receive the money.

]]> ShirleyDolan https://ontariolandowners.ca/community/land-use-zoning/high-speed-rail-system-and-new-expropriation-act/paged/3/#post-99 RE: High-Speed Rail System and New Expropriation Act https://ontariolandowners.ca/community/land-use-zoning/high-speed-rail-system-and-new-expropriation-act/paged/3/#post-98 Sun, 07 Jun 2026 11:56:37 +0000 Hey everyone

The Alto protest at Parliament Hill is coming up fast. June 10 from 12 PM to 3:30 PM. Here is the list of speakers copied from Facebook. We hope to see you there!

 
June 10th Speakers/Itinerary:
Event Program
12:00 PM
Start of the event (bilingual speech): reminder of the objective, course of the event, and impacts on citizens

Robert Charron (maestro and spokesperson for the group of citizens opposed to the TGV Alto QC-ON)
12:10 PM
Impacts on farmland in the Montreal and Ottawa corridor
Mr. Christian Couvrette (President UPA Ste Scholastique/Mirabel) - French
12:15 PM
Impacts on the agricultural sectors
Ms. Jenn Pfennig - NFU Ontario President
12:20 PM
Review of the 1969 expropriations, Alto and costs
Member of Parliament Mr. Jean-Denis Garon / BQ - French
12:30 PM
Speech
The Honourable Mr. Pierre Poilievre, Leader of the Opposition / CPC (French & English)
12:40 PM
Impacts and advocacy
Federal MP Mr. Jacques Gourde / CPC - French
12:50 PM
Respect for citizens affected by this project
Ms. Kathleen, spokesperson for the United Front (Ontario team)
12:55 PM
The foundation of civilization
Mr. Philippe Leroux - President UPA Deux Montagnes - French
1:00 PM
Impact on municipal planning and development
Ms. Paula Banks - Municipal Elected Member, Rideau
1:05 PM
The importance of land protection and the next generation
Mr. Sébastien Peeters - President UPA Argenteuil - French
1:10 PM
Importance of preserving agricultural zones for future generations
Family member of Mr. Ben Hammond / QC-Ontario (English)
1:15 PM
The impacts of the 1969 expropriation and mental health
Mr. Sylvain Ethier (expropriated) - French
1:20 PM - 1:30 PM
Parceling of farms and farming difficulties
Mr. Bruno Proulx, spokesperson for the Association of Farmers Against the HS Alto Train (French and English)
1:30 PM
The impacts on the maple syrup industry
Mr. Vincent Olivier Vermette (owner) - French
1:35 PM
The blind spot and mental health / The forgotten risk with mental health
Ms. Audrey Arcand & Mr. Eric Laflamme (Écoute Agricole) - French and English
1:40 PM
Financial KPIs on the project
MP Scott Reid (Lanark-Frontenac) PC
1:45 PM - 2:00 PM
Break
2:00 PM
Where is the government ethics
MP Michael Barrett / PC (Rideau Lakes)
2:05 PM
End of the protest
2:10 PM
Next steps / Closing remarks
Robert Charron & group picture (French & English)


Representatives of UPA, NFU, Alt-No
]]> ShirleyDolan https://ontariolandowners.ca/community/land-use-zoning/high-speed-rail-system-and-new-expropriation-act/paged/3/#post-98 RE: High-Speed Rail System and New Expropriation Act https://ontariolandowners.ca/community/land-use-zoning/high-speed-rail-system-and-new-expropriation-act/paged/3/#post-92 Mon, 18 May 2026 12:23:42 +0000 Via Rail subsidiary paid Quebec marketing firm $330K as it pivoted to high-speed rail.

https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/politics/via-rail-subsidiary-paid-quebec-marketing-firm-330k-as-it-pivoted-to-high-speed-rail/article_337dc090-5123-52e5-b6ca-524f66319cff.html

]]> ShirleyDolan https://ontariolandowners.ca/community/land-use-zoning/high-speed-rail-system-and-new-expropriation-act/paged/3/#post-92 RE: High-Speed Rail System and New Expropriation Act https://ontariolandowners.ca/community/land-use-zoning/high-speed-rail-system-and-new-expropriation-act/paged/3/#post-84 Sat, 16 May 2026 20:18:19 +0000 Listen to letters for and against the High-Speed Rail read by Peter Mansbridge on The Bridge https://open.spotify.com/episode/2FVMYXaCoh2p98U2cLQ7e1?si=cXVvFHkfRaGkFqKXqY1FkQ&fbclid=IwY2xjawR1NxlleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFnZnVwbkNWT29zUG5yUUxIc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHrEQUPe8iWLhBa_MEkw6yJe5CwCpBOHxjnuSZ9x_xOfle6QdcbALA8Gaqs3M_aem_U_sEZoTfF0k7lxaI3CvYGg&nd=1&dlsi=978857f72ae74f50

]]> ShirleyDolan https://ontariolandowners.ca/community/land-use-zoning/high-speed-rail-system-and-new-expropriation-act/paged/3/#post-84