OFA is raising significant concerns about the proposed Alto high-speed rail network between Toronto and Montreal. The organization stresses that Ontario’s agri-food sector has not been adequately consulted despite the project’s potential to significantly affect farmland and rural communities.

OFA warns that the rail project could cause serious and potentially irreversible impacts, including fragmentation of agricultural land, disruption to drainage systems, safety risks, and reduced access to farm properties. These effects are especially concerning given that many impacted rural communities will not directly benefit from the rail service.

Additionally, the submission highlights a lack of transparency around mitigation strategies and compensation, noting the absence of an agricultural advisory body and limited detail on how impacts will be addressed. More broadly, OFA questions whether the project’s overall benefits justify its economic, environmental, and land-use costs.