The Canadian government has announced that the first segment of the Alto High-Speed Rail project will link Ottawa and Montreal.

According to Transport Canada, construction of the segment is expected to begin in 2029 and pre-procurement activities for project components will start in 2026.

It said this segment, as the first to move forward, was a recognition of its potential to deliver early benefits to travelers, communities and the economy.

Public and Indigenous consultation processes are scheduled to begin in January 2026, it said.

The department said the project would be one of Canada's largest infrastructure investments in decades and the country's first high-speed rail network, spanning approximately 1,000 kilometres from Toronto to Quebec City and reaching speeds of up to 300 km/hour to cut travel times in half and connect close to half of Canada's population.

The project will boost the country's GDP by up to C$35 billion and may create 51,000 jobs during construction, it said. (Xinhua)