Share this Story : National Post Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr

FIRST READING: What Canada could do with the $90B it's blowing on high-speed rail

It would be about the same price to build a second Canada on top of the first

You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.

First Reading is a Canadian politics newsletter curated by the National Post’s own Tristin Hopper. To get an early version sent directly to your inbox, sign up here.

Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.

Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.

Unlimited online access to National Post.

National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.

Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.

Support local journalism.

Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.

Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.

Unlimited online access to National Post.

National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.

Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.

Support local journalism.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one account.

Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.

Enjoy additional articles per month.

Get email updates from your favourite authors.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one account

Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments

Enjoy additional articles per month

Get email updates from your favourite authors

Sign In or Create an Account

FIRST READING: What Canada could do with the $90B it's blowing on high-speed rail Back to video

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said that if he ever became prime minister, he would scrap the Alto rail project, a $90-billion program announced in the final days of Justin Trudeau’s premiership that proposed to build high-speed rail between Toronto and Quebec City.

Poilievre’s main stated objection to the project is that it will require extensive expropriations of private property across Ontario and Quebec. “The Carney Liberals will confiscate farmland and private property,” he told a press conference at a rural location in Peterborough, Ont., this week.

This newsletter from NP Comment tackles the topics you care about. (Subscriber-exclusive edition on Fridays)

There was an error, please provide a valid email address.

By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.

A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.

The next issue of Platformed will soon be in your inbox.

We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again

Interested in more newsletters? Browse here.

But expropriations aside, $90 billion is a jaw-dropping sum of money for Canada to spend on anything, much less a project whose chief promise is that it would be about twice as fast as the existing VIA Rail service.  

Given that Canada has roughly 22 million people who are net tax contributors, Alto would represent a starting cost of at least $4,000 per Canadian taxpayer.

The Liberals have countered that Alto is a “bold and ambitious” project that would be “transformative” for the nation. But if the goal is simply to spend $90 billion on something bold and transformative, there’s much more that kind of money can do aside from making it slightly more convenient to take a train between Quebec and Ontario.

Below, a cursory look at how much Canadian........

© National Post