Whereas the federal government has identified Alto High-Speed Rail (HSR) as a nation-building project to deliver faster, more reliable, passenger rail service, strengthen regional connectivity, and support Canada’s climate objectives through a transportation shift; and
Whereas the Alto high-speed rail line is intended to serve major centres and regional hubs along the Toronto – Ottawa - Montréal corridor to maximize ridership, economic impact, and public value; and
Whereas Kingston is a major regional hub in Eastern Ontario, serving as a centre for post-secondary education with Queen’s University, St. Lawrence College and Royal Military College, health care with Kingston Health Sciences and the Cancer Centre of Eastern Ontario, national defence with CFB Kingston, provincial and federal ministry regional offices, several national and international employers and a significant tourism and innovation economy, all of which generate rail demand; and
Whereas Kingston is the fourth busiest VIA Rail station in Canada with established travel demand within the Windsor-Quebec corridor, making us well positioned to support an Alto station that advances regional connectivity and travel-time competitiveness; and
Whereas a stop in Kingston would contribute to Alto’s mandate of supporting strong ridership demand, enabling meaningful shifts from passenger vehicles, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and ensuring regional access to high-speed rail in Eastern Ontario; and
Whereas a southern route that is as close as possible to the urban centre of Kingston would be most beneficial to the residents of the City of Kingston and would align with the preferences of surrounding municipalities like South Frontenac; and
Whereas a southern High-Speed Rail route that bypasses Kingston would not serve the region, limit ridership and regional connectivity and offer no benefit to the city or Eastern Ontario;
Therefore Be It Resolved That Kingston City Council call on the Federal Minister of Transportation to enhance Alto’s mandate to include the addition of a Kingston stop on the proposed Alto High-Speed Rail Southern Route between Peterborough and Ottawa; and
That Kingston City Council expresses its support for a southern route for the Alto High Speed Rail line, contingent upon development along the Highway 401 corridor around the South Frontenac and Kingston region and provided there is a new stop added that is in Kingston; and
That Kingston City Council requests that the southern route and planned stop in Kingston be located as close to the urban core of the city as possible; and
That if there is no station in Kingston, then Kingston City Council formally opposes the creation of the Alto Southern Route that would effectively bypass Kingston and offer no value or benefit for Kingston residents or those in Eastern Ontario; and
That a copy of this motion be sent to the Right Honourable Mark Carney, P.C., M.P. Prime Minister of Canada, The Honourable Steve MacKinnon, P.C., M.P., Minister of Transport, Martin Imbleau, President and CEO, Alto, Mark Gerretsen, M.P. Kingston and the Islands, Scott Reid, M.P. Lanark-Frontenac, Ted Hsu, M.P.P. Kingston and the Islands, John Jordan, M.P.P. Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston, Ric Breese, M.P.P. Hastings - Lennox and Addington, South Frontenac Mayor Ron Vandewal, the Eastern Ontario Mayors' Caucus, and the Eastern Ontario Wardens' Caucus.