Quebec government supports high-speed rail service over high frequency

There is more political support in favour of high-speed rail service between Quebec and Ontario.

Quebec’s transport minister supports high-speed trains over-high frequency trains as originally proposed by the federal government.

“It is faster. There are more chances that people are going to take the train instead of the car,” Geneviève Guilbault, the Quebec Transport Minster, said.

The federal Transport Minister said on Friday that he is open to a hybrid approach — combining high-speed rail service and high frequency trains, providing that some of small communities between the two provinces aren’t left behind in the faster service.

“I’m not ruling anything out except that we will not abandon these communities that we are committed to connecting,” Omar Alghabra said while visiting the VIA Rail Central Station in Montreal on Friday.

The mayors of Laval, Quebec City and some Montreal city councillors support high-speed rail service.

“We’re inviting the private sector to give us ideas that will include high speed,” Alghabra said.

Alstom, a multinational train manufacturer, intends on submitting plans to the federal government in favour of high-speed train service.

The North American president of Alstom told Global News on Thursday that combining high frequency and high speed is possible.

“We don’t need to put speed and frequency and oppose them. They’re actually something we can do together,” Michael Keroullé — President and CEO, Alstom Americas, told Global News on Thursday.

Alstom projects a high-speed train reaching speeds of 300 km/h could make a trip between Montreal and Toronto in less than three hours.

It’s unclear how the logistics of providing a hybrid service of high frequency and high speed would work.

The federal government is hoping to learn more as it has invited three private companies to submit their proposals this summer.