Two Prescott-Russell residents are preparing to walk more than 100 kilometres to Ottawa in an effort to make their concerns about the proposed ALTO high-speed rail project heard.
Kathleen O’Connell Renaud and Kristin Muller, representing ALTNO / United Against ALTO, will take part in the five-day “Long Walk to Be Heard,” beginning November 8 in St. Eugène, East Hawkesbury, and continuing west along the Prescott-Russell Recreational Trail before reaching Ottawa on November 12.
The walk will culminate in the presentation of a petition calling for intervention in the project and meaningful consultation with all affected communities.
Organizers say the effort reflects growing frustration among rural residents who believe they have been left without clear answers about a project that could affect homes, farms, businesses and municipalities throughout the region.
“We should not have to walk over 100km to Ottawa to be heard,” organizers said. “But when questions go unanswered and communities feel abandoned, sometimes you have to get creative. This walk is about making sure our concerns are heard.”
People are invited to accompany the walkers for any portion of the route or meet them at scheduled stops to share concerns and sign the petition.
The route includes stops along Dandy Road, Vankleek Hill, The Nation, Alfred, Bourget, Hammon, Navan, Anderson Road and Eastway Gardens.
Daily routes, maps and stopping points are available online at United Against ALTO.
As part of the campaign, organizers are also asking residents to bring copies of correspondence sent to Prescott-Russell-Cumberland MP Giovanna Mingarelli that has gone unanswered or has not received a meaningful response.
The letter drop-off will take place Tuesday, November 10, from 8:30 a.m. until noon at Mingarelli’s constituency office at 179 Main Street East, Unit B, in Hawkesbury.
Organizers say the collection is intended to demonstrate the number and seriousness of residents’ concerns and encourage the MP to respond.
They point to a July 9 meeting at which Mingarelli discussed the possibility of bringing the federal Minister of Agriculture to meet with affected residents. According to ALTNO / United Against ALTO, there has been no follow-up since that discussion.
The organizers say residents deserve answers, meaningful engagement and visible advocacy from their elected representatives.
The group says its concerns go beyond opposition to a single infrastructure project.
It is calling for greater transparency, meaningful consultation, credible assessments of agricultural and environmental impacts, and accountability from public officials representing affected communities.
The walk concludes November 12 in Ottawa with the presentation of the petition. Further details about the petition presentation are expected to be announced.
Residents who cannot participate in the walk are encouraged to sign the petition, share the campaign and bring copies of unanswered correspondence to the MP’s office.
Event information
- The Long Walk to Be Heard: November 8–12, 2026
- Starting point: St. Eugène, East Hawkesbury
- Route: Prescott-Russell Recreational Trail to Ottawa
- Letter drop-off: November 10, 8:30 a.m.–noon
- Location: MP Giovanna Mingarelli’s office, 179 Main Street East, Unit B, Hawkesbury
- Petition presentation: Ottawa, November 12
For daily routes, stops and further information, visit unitedagainstalto.ca/longwalk.
Media contact: ALTNO / United Against ALTO — altnoresidents@gmail.com