OTTAWA — Transportation Minister Steven MacKinnon says he has directed Alto to consider a high-speed rail stop in Kingston, Ont.

The minister’s staff issued a statement on his behalf ahead of a formal announcement in Kingston later this morning.

The government is looking to fund a high-speed rail route linking Quebec City and Toronto with an estimated cost of $60 to $90 billion.

The project is overseen by Alto, a Crown corporation established in 2022.

Construction on the first leg between Ottawa and Montreal is expected to begin in 2029 or 2030.

The project is facing pushback from farmers and rural residents living along the proposed route, who say it could limit road access and separate farmland.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 22, 2026.

David Baxter, The Canadian Press