Technical Advisory Services for the Co-Development Phase of the High Speed Rail (HSR) Initiative.

Transport Canada (TC) is seeking the services of a technical advisor (Contractor), on an “as and when required” basis, to provide technical advisory services to Transport Canada to support its role during the Co-Development Phase of a high-speed rail network between Toronto and Québec City (the HSR Initiative).

On February 19, 2025, the Prime Minister of Canada announced that Canada is developing a high-speed rail network in the Toronto-Quebec City corridor. This transformative rail network will span approximately 1,000 km and reach speeds of up to 300 km/hour, with stops in Toronto, Peterborough, Ottawa, Montréal, Laval, Trois-Rivières, and Quebec City.

The official name of this high-speed rail service will be Alto. Alto is the rebrand of the corporate identity of VIA HFR-VIA TGF Inc., the Crown corporation established in 2022. The Alto corporate identity was announced publicly on February 19, 2025.

The HSR Initiative will be comprised of new and upgraded rights-of-way, tracks, structures, stations, rolling stock, and rail systems. Canada also intends for the Initiative to include a railway electrification system. The operations of new HSR services and VIA Rail’s existing services between Québec City and Windsor (the Local Services) will be treated as an integrated system along the entire Quebec-Windsor corridor (the Corridor).

To deliver on its ambitious vision, the HSR Initiative will be advanced using a progressive and collaborative approach. The selected Private Developer Partner will further advance and optimize the design and scope of the project during a Co-Development Phase within the parameters set out in a Pre‑Development Agreement, to ensure that the public interest is upheld and protected. Following the Government of Canada’s final positive investment decision on the HSR Initiative, at or near the conclusion of the Co-Development Phase, the Private Developer Partner would execute the Project Agreement with VIA HFR Inc. - VIA TGF Inc., now known as Alto, and become the Private Partner that would deliver the HSR Initiative.