Canada’s High Frequency Rail could become high-speed project

OTTAWA, Ontario — The Canadian government is seriously considering making the proposed High-Frequency Rail project linking Toronto and Quebec City a true high-speed line, according to a government official.

The CBC reports that Jean-Yves Duclos, public services and procurement minister, said Monday that the models for the high-frequency project, which would build a separate, passenger-only rail line for much of the Toronto-Quebec City corridor, “are quite close to a high-speed train … you can achieve quite fast trains even with high frequency trains. The next step is to go to a high-speed train, and that’s an option which is being seriously considered.”

Three companies have been selected to bid for the project, and they were asked to develop proposals for both a conventional rail network with top speeds of 200 kilometers per hour, and a “high speed” option [see “Canada’s High Frequency Rail project begins Request for Proposal phase,” Trains News Wire, Oct. 14, 2023]. While that term was not defined, the European Union defines “high speed rail” as operating at 250 kph (155 mph) or above; the fastest trains in Europe can reach 300 to 330 kph (186 to 205 mph).

VIA HFR’s CEO, Martin Imbleau, said the project has “evolved considerably” since VIA first proposed it, the CBC reports. The project was first proposed by VIA in 2015; the government eventually took planning. In 2021, the cost of the project was estimated at Ca$6 billion to $12 billion; the government has shied away from a cost estimate since.

“We are now focusing on speed and frequency,” Imbleau said. “And speed means kilometers per hour and total travel time.”

Duclos said the government expects to select the winning bidder soon and release more details on how the project will work.