By Drew Spoelstra, President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture
Ontario farmers understand the importance of infrastructure. Strong transportation networks help move food, goods and people efficiently across the province, the country and around the world. Farmers rely on roads, rail and trade corridors every day to support our businesses and help feed Canadians.
But infrastructure projects must also be carefully planned — especially when they have the potential to permanently affect farmland, farm businesses and rural communities.
That is why the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) is raising significant concerns about the proposed Alto high-speed rail project linking Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City.
At first glance, high-speed rail may sound like a positive investment in Canada’s future. But for many farmers and rural landowners along the proposed corridor, the project raises serious questions that, so far, have remained largely unanswered.
The proposed rail line would cut through some of the most productive farmland in Ontario and Quebec. These are not empty spaces waiting for development – they are working businesses producing food, fuel, fibre and flowers, supporting local economies and contributing to Canada’s food security.
Ontario’s agri-food sector contributes more than $51 billion annually to the provincial economy and supports one in 10 jobs across the province. None of that happens without farmland, and once that land is fragmented, permanently disrupted or paved over, it is extremely difficult — and often impossible — to restore.
Farm businesses are built around efficiency and access, and one of the biggest concerns Ontario’s agri-food sector has is the fragmentation of agricultural land.
Rail corridors can split farms into smaller and less workable pieces, making it harder and less efficient to move equipment, livestock and crops safely from one side of a property to another. Adding barriers through the middle of farms and rural communities creates long-term operational and access challenges that do not disappear once construction is complete.
There are also concerns about drainage. Across much of Ontario, farmland depends on carefully designed drainage systems that manage water and keep crops growing in the soil. Disrupting those systems can have major consequences for crop production, soil health and possible flood risks to neighbouring properties.
Farmers are also asking practical questions that do not have clear answers. How will safe crossings for farm equipment and livestock be handled? Who will pay for fencing, maintenance of fencing and crossings, and manage ongoing access issues fairly? And what will fair compensation look like for landowners facing permanent impacts on their businesses and property values?
These are not minor details. They are critical issues that directly affect the long-term life of farm businesses and rural communities.
OFA has met directly with representatives from Alto as well as federal Minister of Transport Steven MacKinnon and other elected officials to discuss these concerns and stress the importance of meaningful consultation with the agricultural sector.
So far, many farmers in the affected areas feel they have been left out of the conversation. That lack of consultation is particularly frustrating because many of the rural communities most affected by the project may not directly benefit from the rail service itself.
Rural Ontario should not simply be treated as a corridor to move people between large urban centres. Farmers and rural residents deserve transparency, respect and a genuine opportunity to help shape decisions that will affect their land and livelihoods for generations.
Together with l’Union des producteurs agricoles in Quebec, OFA has called for a pause on the project until there has been a thorough economic, environmental and agricultural impact assessment along with meaningful consultation with affected communities.
Let me be clear: this is not about opposing progress. Farmers understand that Canada needs infrastructure investments – but projects deemed to be in the national interest should not come at the expense of food production, rural communities and prime farm land.
Agriculture and our ability to grow food, fuel, fibre and flowers right here at home are also strategic national assets.
Recent years have shown Canadians just how important domestic food production and supply chain resilience really are, so protecting the land that feeds us should be part of any long-term national strategy.
If this project ultimately proceeds, farmers need assurances that agricultural impacts will be minimized, that independent agricultural assessments will be publicly available, that full farm access will be maintained and that affected landowners will receive fair and proportional compensation recognizing the permanent nature of these impacts.
To our members, I encourage you to seek out your OFA member service representative, or your local federation representatives or provincial director to share your questions, suggestions and concerns. Your voices matter.
Ontario farmers are not asking for special treatment. We are asking for common sense, meaningful consultation and recognition that farmland is too valuable to take for granted.
For more information or to arrange an interview:
Tyler Brooks
Director of Communications and Stakeholder Relations
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
[email protected] | 519-821-8883
Proposed Alto timeline
| Ongoing since 2024: | Field studies |
| February 2025: | Federal approval for high-speed rail*** |
| January to March 2026: | Public consultation process |
| Summer 2026: | Public consultation report to be published* |
| End of 2026: | Second public consultation process for more refined corridor for central project segment between Ottawa and Montréal* |
| End of 2026: | Alto study area narrowed to 1 km wide** |
| 2027-2028: | Alto study area further narrowed to 60m wide rail alignment; impact assessments should follow |
| 2029-2030: | Groundbreaking for Ottawa-Montréal segment** |
| 2030-20XX: | Groundbreaking for other segments |
| 2035: | Segments start coming into service |
| 2041-2044: | Alto network fully operational** |
*Source https://www.altotrain.ca/en/about-alto/whats-happening
**Source https://www.altotrain.ca/en/blog/your-questions-about-alto-cost-timeline-and-public-feedback
***Source https://www.altotrain.ca/en/news/green-light-development-high-speed-rail-network-between-toronto-and-quebec-city
Related reading and resources: