People living near Ottawa’s Via Rail station on Tremblay Road are raising concerns after representatives from Alto began approaching the neighbourhood’s residents last week.
The crown corporation confirmed its representatives have been going door-to-door near the station, including along O and P avenues in Eastway Gardens, seeking permission to access private properties to carry out field studies.
For some residents, Alto’s presence has them worried about what the project could mean for the neighbourhood.
“I might lose my house, which I don’t want,” said Tyson Cook, whose home already backs onto railway tracks.
“Just put money in Via instead of getting an Alto train.”
Curtis Barr is also opposed to the project and says he would refuse Alto access to his property.
“Anything to impede their success on this, I’m willing to do,” he said. “I think this is a well-established neighborhood with a lot of families that would be affected.”
In a statement, Alto said its studies do not necessarily confirm any future route or station location.
Alto said the location for Ottawa’s station will be announced later this fall, alongside a more precise route for the Ottawa-Montreal corridor.
The final route is not expected to be announced until 2027.
An archive image of Via Rail tracks running behind Ottawa’s Eastway Gardens neighbourhood. (Judy Trinh/CBC Ottawa)
Councillor says residents need answers
Alta Vista Coun. Marty Carr says she wasn’t informed Alto representatives would be approaching residents, even though she had previously received updates about its drone surveys.
Carr said she’s long suspected the Via station would be selected as Ottawa’s high-speed rail stop, pointing to the available land nearby, the easy access to Highway 417 and issues that might arise from a downtown stop.
She says residents feel uncertain.
“Mostly [it’s] just general anxiety about not knowing what is happening and what will be the impact of their neighborhood and to their homes,” Carr said.
She said residents are aware of Bill C-15, federal legislation addressing the expropriation of land for high-speed rail, and want to know if their properties could be affected.
Carr also believes Alto’s interest in the area has put an affordable housing project at the corner of Tremblay Road and St Laurent Boulevard on hold.
“[The project] was shut down and those lands have been, you know, likely reserved for some period of time now,” she said.
In December, Alto CEO Martin Imbleau told Radio-Canada that Ottawa’s Via station has been considered, notably because of its capacity to be expanded and the fact it’s connected to the nearby Tremblay O-Train station.
Deanna Derby, who also lives in the area, said she wonders if the project is something the country can even afford right now.
“I just feel at this time it is an unnecessary financial burden on the people of Canada,” Derby said.