The Ontario Landowners Association held a community meeting in Centre Hastings this afternoon to address residents’ concerns about the ALTO high-speed rail development.
People gathered at Huntingdon Veterans Community Hall, where the organization gave a presentation about the current stage of the project. Some of the major concerns people spoke about were the burden to taxpayers, the route becoming a barrier to divide communities, and potential loss of homes along the route.
Nancy Mackie presented information on the project for the Ontario Landowners Association. She said that the rail line could destroy important farmland.
“My biggest concern is the expropriation of people’s property, destroying people’s lives, taking the farms that have been generational farms that have been there forever and splitting communities,” said Mackie.
Hastings Lennox and Addington MPP Shelby Kramp-Nieman briefly visited the meeting and said that she remains opposed to the project.
“Quinte simply put, ALTO is too expensive,” said Kramp-Nieman. “$90 billion is a fraction of the proposed cost, and that’s a huge burden for taxpayers. We also have to recognize that a lot of government projects almost always end up costing more than what was promised.”
Peter Reitsma, a resident of Plainfield who attended the meeting, said that he was strongly opposed to the project and would rather see investment in Canada’s existing rail network.
“Let’s improve what we have, especially VIA rail,” said Reitsma. “Because right now they’re sharing the track with CN, with the freight train. VIA rail has to stop to allow the freight train to go by. Extend them, bring them out right on through so they both have their own tracks, and everybody wins. “
Currently, ALTO has finished its first round of public consultations and is working on further defining where the route will be. While the previously affected areas proposed have been up to 10 kilometres wide, the final route will only need 60 metres.
