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Canada grants contract for Alto high-speed rail network

Canada’s government has granted a CA$3.9 billion (A$4.3 billion) contract to develop a high-speed passenger rail network to a consortium including Air Canada, Systra, and AtkinsRealis. The network, known as Alto, would span the area from Toronto to Quebec City, passing through cities like Montreal and Ottawa. The project would halve the travel time between Toronto and Montreal to just three hours, the Canadian government said. “Today’s announcement of Alto, a high-speed rail system between Toronto and Quebec City, will transform our economy — drastically shortening commute times for millions of Canadians, turbocharging economic growth, creating thousands of good-paying jobs, improving productivity, and reducing emissions,” said Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Canada has allocated CA$3.9 billion for the project over the next six years, as well as $371.8 million from its 2024 budget. Canada’s government has not yet said when Alto is likely to be completed. The Cadence consortium assigned to the project also includes Keolis, SNCF Voyageurs, and Quebec’s pension fund CDPQ. CDPQ is financing the construction of Montreal’s Réseau Express Métropolitain light rail system, with eight new stations and two new branches se