Subhead:The $90 billion Alto rail project, along with recent Indigenous land claims, are fuelling a revolt as landowners warn of forced seizures, hidden costs and government overreach.#
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Landowners gathered at the Ontario Landowners Association (OLA) general meeting in Cobourg to voice strong opposition to the federal government’s proposed $90-billion Alto high-speed rail project, warning it threatens private property rights through aggressive expropriation and sweeping legislative changes.
The project, aimed at linking Toronto and Quebec City, has sparked alarm among rural residents and farmers in eastern Ontario as letters from Alto arrive, requesting access to private land for surveys, soil testing, and environmental assessments.
Many fear that allowing entry could weaken their legal standing and pave the way for forced takings.
“There is no law that requires property owners to allow anyone onto their property with respect to Alto,” OLA president Jeff Bogaerts relayed. “The moment you allow Alto onto your property, your property rights are going away.”
Attendees noted that the lack of clear route details, crossing plans, or impact assessments has left landowners in the dark.
Critics like Conservative MP Philip Lawrence argue that the project is fundamentally flawed. At speeds requiring grade separation, every road, farm lane, or crossing demands expensive overpasses or underpasses, costing millions each.
