Alto has extended the online public-consultation period for its proposed high-speed rail project between Quebec City and Toronto until April 24, citing strong participation and sustained public interest.

The extension brings the total consultation period to 100 days. The process was originally scheduled to run from Jan. 15 to March 29, but the federal Crown corporation said the additional time will allow more Canadians to review the project and provide feedback through its online-consultation platform.

Two additional virtual sessions will also be held on the evenings of March 23 and 26, following an earlier session planned for March 17. The sessions will allow participants to learn more about the study corridor and ask questions of Alto’s experts, said the company.

The consultation has already included open houses across Quebec and Ontario, as well as online engagement sessions and the digital consultation platform.

“Public consultation is a valuable opportunity for dialogue with the population, grounded in transparency and active listening,” said Yves Boivin, chief communications and public affairs officer at Alto.. “The success of the current process demonstrates how important the Alto project is to citizens. Every question and every comment help inform our analyses and better integrate the project into local communities. We encourage the public to continue making their voices heard by visiting our online-consultation platform and taking part in our upcoming virtual sessions on March 17, 23, and 26.”

The online platform will remain open until April 24, allowing participants to review project information, explore the study corridor map, submit comments, complete a questionnaire, or file written submissions.

According to Alto, the consultation has generated significant engagement so far. The online platform has recorded 184,339 unique visits, along with 14,774 completed questionnaires and 10,420 comments submitted on the corridor map.

In-person engagement has included 26 open-house events across Quebec and Ontario that have drawn 9,194 participants. Alto has also hosted 10 bilingual virtual meetings attended by 1,299 participants and held 35 thematic roundtables with civil-society representatives, in addition to meetings with elected officials along the corridor.

Alto said feedback from the current consultation and ongoing analysis will inform future planning, with additional rounds of public engagement expected in the coming months, including consultations on a more detailed study corridor for the first segment proposed between Montreal and Ottawa.

Alto is tasked with developing what it describes as Canada’s first reliable and frequent high-speed rail network. The proposed line would include stations in Toronto, Peterborough, Ont.; Ottawa, Montreal, Laval, Que.; Trois-Rivieres, Que., and Quebec City, connecting major population centres along the country’s most densely populated corridor.