Alto considers Kingston stop amid route concerns

Transport Action Canada says it supports adding Kingston, Ontario, to Alto’s proposed highspeed rail network, but wants the station to be better connected to existing Via Rail service. The advocacy group says its main concern is that Alto’s southern route could place the station about a 25 to 30minute drive north of Kingston, which it argues would make transfers harder for passengers and reduce the value of the stop. Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon asked Alto last month to review a southern alignment between Peterborough and Ottawa that could include Kingston. Alto says it is still studying the option and weighing factors such as construction costs, ridership, accessibility, technical feasibility, and economic and social benefits. Alto says a Kingston station could link eastern Ontario more directly with Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. The company says it will continue technical analysis and public consultations before sharing more details in the coming months.