The preliminary results of a questionnaire-survey completed by 226 municipal candidates from 88 Eastern Ontario municipalities demonstrate new and significant opposition to the proposed ALTO high-speed rail project and suggest that ALTO has emerged as a significant issue in the upcoming municipal elections.
Of the 226 respondents to date, 163 — 72.1% — explicitly oppose the proposed project, while
another 36 — 15.9% — say they have concerns and require more information before taking a
position. Just nine respondents, or 4%, expressed support.
The results were even more decisive on how ALTO should proceed:
● 95.1% said comprehensive information and impact assessments should be available
before municipalities enter voluntary agreements or grant permissions.
● 98.2% said municipalities and communities must have meaningful opportunities to
participate.
● 96% said councils should take action to protect municipal interests before agreements or
permissions are granted.
Those demands for greater scrutiny come as the Parliamentary Budget Officer has released the
first part of an independent assessment of ALTO, estimating construction costs at $75 billion to
$113 billion — potentially billions higher than the government’s 60 90 billion estimate. A second
PBO report will examine whether projected ridership would be sufficient to support the system’s
operations.
“For months, communities have been asking for the numbers, the evidence and the business
case,” said Heather Levy, a spokesperson for United Against ALTO. “Now the Parliamentary
Budget Officer is asking some of those same fundamental questions. For a project of this size,
Canadians should have those answers before irreversible decisions are made and before
another dollar is allocated for ALTO.”
Candidate responses highlight concerns about transparency, municipal roads and infrastructure,
drainage, emergency services, farmland, private property, environmental impacts and the
taxpayer burden.
“These candidates are adding their names to a growing list of organizations, associations,
community groups and politicians who have already raised serious concerns about ALTO,” said
ALTNO Director and acclaimed East Hawkesbury Councillor, Kathleen O’Connell Renaud.“At
what point do those pushing this project start listening? How many more voices have to say
‘no’?.
The results are significant because they come from candidates seeking to represent
communities that could ultimately be responsible for dealing with many of the project’s local
impacts.
“ALTO can spend millions on consultation, advertising and communications, but public relations cannot manufacture trust.” said ALTNO spokesperson, Kristin Muller. “You cannot market your way out of a lack of social consent.”
The message from municipal candidates is difficult to dismiss: 95% want information provided
before agreements are signed, 98% want meaningful municipal participation, and 96% want
protections for their municipalities. The results point to clear demands for greater transparency,
stronger safeguards and a meaningful voice for affected communities before decisions are
made—not after.
Note: Candidate participation was voluntary and these results reflect the responses of the 226
candidates who have replied to date. Completed questionnaires will be accepted until 5pm on
October 19, 2026. Full results will be available on www.unitedagainstalto.ca on October 20,
2026.