Montreal city councillors pushing Quebec City-Toronto high-speed rail plan

Two independent Montreal city councillors want to start what many have tried in the past: build a high-speed rail line to Toronto.

Councillors Craig Sauve and Serge Sasseville plan to table a motion at the Montreal City Council meeting on Monday formally asking Ottawa to begin the creation of a high-speed train line in the Quebec-Toronto corridor.

The French transport giant Alstom SA purchased Bombardier's rail unit in 2021 and has been pushing Justin Trudeau's government to adopt high-speed rail service from Quebec City to Toronto.

The company says commutes between the two cities will be cut in half on a high-speed line or train a grande vitesse (TGV).

"The enthusiasm is palpable for a TGV in the Quebec-Toronto corridor. It would be a huge legacy for the quality of life and the environment. We are the only G7 country without a high-speed rail network," said Sauve in a news release. 

Alstom will pilot a green hydrogen train on the Charlevoix railway this summer with Quebec chipping in $3 million of the $8 million pricetag. 

Alstom Americas president Michael Keroulle said the company has been talking with the CAQ government about further investment in hydrogen transport.