Political & Governmental Positions on ALTO High-Speed Rail

Published positions of federal Members of Parliament, Members of Provincial Parliament, and municipal councils on the ALTO HSR project and its proposed southern corridor.

Opposition to the proposed ALTO High-Speed Railway is gaining momentum across Eastern Ontario. The following tables collate published statements and formal council motions from elected representatives at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels. Source data compiled by Save South Frontenac; information current as of March 18, 2026.

Position key: Opposes Active opposition to the current plan Concerns Expressed concerns, no formal opposition Conditional Supports a different configuration or stop Pending Motion or statement in progress No Statement No public position as of March 18, 2026

Federal — Members of Parliament

Name / Riding	Position	Statement / Detail
Michael Barrett Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands-Rideau Lakes	Opposes	Media release, Feb. 27. Opposes the federal Alto HSR project.
Bruce Fanjoy Carleton	No Statement	No formal statement as of March 18, 2026.
Mark Gerretsen Kingston and the Islands	Concerns	Demands Kingston stop/high-speed rail line as currently configured. News article, Feb. 12.
Emma Harrison Peterborough	No Statement	No formal statement as of March 18, 2026.
Shelby Kramp-Neuman Hastings-Lennox & Addington-Tyendinaga	Opposes	Statement released, Feb. 25.
Phillip Lawrence Northumberland-Clarke	Concerns	Expressed concerns in the House of Commons (video), Feb. 23.
Chris Malette Bay of Quinte	Opposes	Withholds support for proposed southern route. Statement released, Feb. 27.
Scott Reid Lanark-Frontenac	Opposes	“Let’s Stop Alto” — article on representative’s website, Feb. 13.

Provincial — Members of Provincial Parliament

Name / Riding	Position	Statement / Detail
Doug Ford Premier of Ontario	Conditional	Wants high-speed rail built along the Hwy 401 corridor, not the southern route. CTV News, March 16.
Tyler Allsopp Bay of Quinte	No Statement	No formal statement as of March 18, 2026.
Ric Bresee Hastings-Lennox & Addington	No Statement	No formal statement as of March 18, 2026.
Steve Clark Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands-Rideau Lakes	Opposes	Opposes the proposed southern route. Statement released, Feb. 27.
George Darouze Carleton	No Statement	No formal statement as of March 18, 2026.
John Jordan Lanark-Frontenac	No Statement	No formal statement as of March 18, 2026.
Ted Hsu Kingston and the Islands	Concerns	Statement released, Feb. 13.
David Piccini Northumberland-Peterborough South	No Statement	No public statement as of March 18, 2026.

Municipal Councils

Municipality	Position	Statement / Detail
Township of Addington Highlands	Opposes	Council adopted a formal submission and motion opposing the ALTO HSR project, March 12. Goes beyond route opposition to urge the federal government to “take a step back and rethink the proposal.” Cites corridor bisection of communities, expropriation process changes, and project cost.
Township of Asphodel-Norwood	No Statement	No formal statement as of March 18, 2026.
Township of Beckwith	Opposes	Reeve’s message, March 6.
City of Belleville	Opposes	Motion passed by council, Feb. 23.
City of Brockville	Opposes	Amended motion passed by council, March 10.
Town of Carleton Place	No Statement	No formal statement as of March 18, 2026.
Township of Central Frontenac	Opposes	Motion 2026-63 passed by council, Feb. 10.
Municipality of Centre Hastings	Conditional	Advocates for a Madoc-area high-speed rail station. Article on municipal website, Feb. 3.
Township of Douro-Dummer	No Statement	No formal statement as of March 18, 2026.
Township of Drummond/North Elmsley	Opposes	Announcement on municipal website, March 10.
Township of Elizabethtown-Kitley	No Statement	No formal statement as of March 18, 2026.
Township of Faraday	Opposes	Motion passed by council, Feb. 4.
Town of Greater Napanee	No Statement	No formal statement as of March 18, 2026.
Township of Havelock-Belmont-Methuen	Opposes	Mayor’s statement, March 2.
Township of Lanark Highlands	Opposes	Committee of the Whole passed motion March 10 that the Township does not support the Alto HSR project, and supports reinvestment in existing rail infrastructure. Prompted in part by correspondence from MP Scott Reid.
City of Kingston	Opposes	Joint statement with Township of South Frontenac, March 9.
Township of Madoc	No Statement	No formal statement as of March 18, 2026.
Municipality of Marmora and Lake	No Statement	No formal statement as of March 18, 2026.
Township of Merrickville-Wolford	No Statement	No formal statement as of March 18, 2026.
Municipality of Mississippi Mills	No Statement	No formal statement as of March 18, 2026.
Township of North Frontenac	Opposes	Motion passed by council, Feb. 6.
Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan	No Statement	No formal statement as of March 18, 2026.
City of Peterborough	Concerns	Notice on municipal website monitoring the project and its implications.
Town of Perth	Opposes	Motion announced in news article, March 12.
City of Quinte West	Pending	ALTO resolution on agenda for March 18 meeting.
Township of Rideau Lakes	Opposes	Motion passed by council, Feb. 9.
Town of Smiths Falls	Conditional	Hired a consultant to build a business case for a station in Smiths Falls. March 2026.
Township of South Frontenac	Opposes	Motion passed by council, Feb. 3. Joint statement with City of Kingston, March 9.
Township of Stirling-Rawdon	No Statement	No formal statement as of March 18, 2026.
Township of Stone Mills	Opposes	Motion passed by council, Feb. 9.
Township of Tay Valley	Opposes	Council passed a motion of “total opposition” to the proposed HSR project through eastern Ontario, March 24. Motion was unanimous; gallery applauded at the close of debate. Reeve Rainer: “The negative consequences are so severe. I just can’t see any benefit.” Resolution to be circulated to the same recipients as the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus motion.
Municipality of Trent Hills	Opposes	Media release, Feb. 26. Council raises serious concerns regarding the proposed study corridor.
Municipality of Tweed	Opposes	Council voted against the northern route. Motion states council does not support the project “at this time” and calls for meaningful consultation and detailed information before any further consideration. Mayor DeGenova stated he is personally against the project as a whole.
Tyendinaga Township	Opposes	Motion passed by council, Feb. 18.

Video

“What’s Alto? It’s worse than a bad idea.”

Scott Reid, MP (Lanark-Frontenac) — Alto position statement, Feb. 11, 2026

Source data compiled by Save South Frontenac. Information current as of March 18, 2026. This page is maintained by the Alto HSR Citizen Research Initiative. Links verified March 25, 2026.