Farm groups call for pause on planned Alto high-speed rail line скачать в хорошем качестве

Farm groups call for pause on planned Alto high-speed rail line

When Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the first round of nation building projects in late 2025, a new, high-speed rail line linking Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City was high on the list. Called Alto, the proposed high-speed rail corridor is first planned to link Ottawa to Montreal, however during the current 90-day consultation period Canadian farm leaders are urging the federal government and proponents to suspend the project. The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) and l’Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA) of Quebec are calling for an immediate suspension of the high-speed rail project in pursuit of a cautious, transparent approach. The proposed rail alignment is currently planned to be built through areas that include some of the most productive farmland in Ontario and Quebec, say the farm groups. “Ontario’s farmland is a strategic provincial and national asset, and the highest and best use of our arable land is for agriculture – and let’s not forget that agriculture and agri-food is a cornerstone of Ontario’s economic prosperity,” says OFA president Drew Spoelstra. “This sector, which is built around productive agricultural land, contributes $51 billion annually to the provincial economy and employs about 10 per cent of Ontario’s work force.” “Projects deemed to be of ‘national interest’ must not compromise the vitality of rural communities, the long-term viability of agricultural businesses and farmland, maple and forestry potential, or the food security of the population, which should be the true priority,” says UPA president general Martin Caron. OFA, UPA and now Beef Farmers of Ontario are urging provincial and federal governments and Alto to: Stay out of prime agricultural areas, and actively farmed areas (BFO's addition) Avoid breaking farms into smaller pieces and keep fields and farm operations whole Protect farm drainage systems that are essential for crop production Address farmers’ concerns about construction impacts and ongoing costs, including fencing, and the building, upgrading and long-term maintenance of safe farm crossings for equipment and livestock Ensure agricultural impact assessments are independent, thorough and publicly available This call for a pause follows the passing of a resolution at the Annual General Meeting of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) on February 25 that urges the Government of Canada to immediately halt the proposed project to allow for a thorough economic, social and environmental impact assessment and meaningful consultation with affected agricultural, forestry and rural communities. After discussion between farm leaders earlier in the week, the resolution was put forward by Caron and seconded by Spoelstra. The resolution states that if the project ultimately proceeds, it must ensure full access is maintained to farmland, maple groves and woodlands and establish properly sized (minimum 10-metre) agricultural and forestry crossings as required. It further states that farmers must receive fair, proportional compensation in recognition of the permanent and more significant impact of the rail corridor compared to highways or transmission lines. Website: https://www.realagriculture.com/ #farming #agriculture #landuse #alto Find us on our other social media platforms: X/Twitter:   / realagriculture   Instagram:   / realagriculture   Facebook:   / realagmedia