Local Conservative MP Michael Barrett Opposes Federal Alto High-Speed Rail Project

Brockville – Michael Barrett, Member of Parliament for Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands—Rideau Lakes, released the following statement regarding the federal government’s proposed high-speed rail project:

“The federal government’s Alto high-speed rail is a $90-billion project that would cause permanent damage to homes, farms, small businesses, the environment, and historic sites in our community. It would sever local roads and impact emergency response times, while harming the ecologically sensitive Frontenac Arch Biosphere and the historic Rideau Canal.

“It would mean a cost of thousands of dollars per household for a train service that doesn’t stop here. And even if residents drove more than an hour to the nearest stop, fares would likely be unaffordable for most.

“At the same time, hundreds of families in our community, and thousands along the route, could see their homes and farmland expropriated.

“I believe we have so much work to do to deliver healthcare for everyone, strengthen our Canadian Armed Forces, and build the things that would unite us, but what we are seeing with Alto is a proposal that would violate the rights of many thousands of Canadians.

“While I don’t have a property in the corridor, I represent a community with many who do, and I think about those people who work tirelessly just to afford the dream of home ownership or to have a roof over their head, to farm the land and feed our country.

“For someone to be told that their property is going to be taken away from them for infrastructure that they will never use and cannot afford to pay for is not the kind of thing that brings Canadians together, and it’s not the kind of project I can support.

“Alto is willing to expropriate property in our community, but failed to show up here first to meet the people affected. That’s not acting in Canadians’ best interest.

“I will continue to collect responses from the community at michaelbarrettmp.ca because even if Alto won’t come here, you deserve to have your voice heard.

“This week I voted against the Alto high-speed rail project, and I will continue to oppose it. It’s about fighting for our community, for this generation, the next generation, and for Canada.”