Item - 2023.MM5.5

City Council on March 29, 30 and 31, 2023, adopted the following:

1. City Council express its support for the City of Montreal's motion of February 20, 2023, in support of a high-speed train program instead of a high-frequency train, as follows:

Motion for High Speed Rail in the Quebec-Toronto Corridor

Whereas the Federal Government has recently made an important decision to modernize the rail network in the Quebec-Toronto corridor;

Whereas the Federal Government is aiming for a High Frequency Rail project rather than a High Speed Rail project, which will only slightly reduce the travel time between the major cities located in this corridor and will therefore make the project much less attractive for the population;

Whereas the High Speed Rail project offers a higher level of service reliability than High Frequency Rail by not sharing, even if only occasionally at city entrances, the rail network with CN and CP commercial service as suggested for High Frequency Rail;

Whereas that High Speed Rail would offer the greatly reduced travel times compared to current train times, it would allow real competition with air and automobile travel in terms of efficiency, comfort and speed;

Whereas if Canada is to significantly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and meet its targets promised to the international community, significant investments in public transit, including rail transit, will be required;

Whereas the population residing in the Quebec City-Toronto corridor represents approximately one third of the total population of Canada, an ideal population density for the implementation of a high-speed rail system; 

Whereas the High Speed Rail could have enormous leverage effects for the economic and cultural development of the major cities located in this corridor, notably by improving the efficiency of travel as well as by reinforcing the attractiveness of Montreal, and its economic, cultural, commercial and tourist relations with other cities; 

Whereas Canada is the only G7 country that does not yet have a high-speed rail system; 

Whereas the presence of a high-speed train in downtown Montreal would contribute greatly to the revival of downtown Montreal, its influence and its long-term resilience; 

Whereas this infrastructure would attract more people to the downtown area, notably by increasing its potential to attract business and leisure tourism, while promoting development and strengthening of ties between businesses and head offices in different cities; 

It is proposed by Craig Sauve, City Councillor for the District of Saint-Henri-East-Little Burgundy- Point-Saint-Charles-Griffintown and Seconded by Serge Sasseville, City Councillor for district of Peter-McGill, and by Sophie Mauzerolle, Executive Committee Member responsible for Transportation and Mobility; 

That Montreal City Council ask the Government of Canada to opt for a High Speed Rail system within the framework of its project to modernize the rail network in the Quebec-Toronto corridor;

That this project include the location of a stop in downtown Montreal, and that its planning be carried out taking into account urban integration, mobility analyses, environmental and social impacts, among other things; 

That a copy of this motion be sent to the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra; to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities, the Honourable Dominic  LeBlanc; as well as to the members of the House of Commons representing a riding located on the territory of the City of Montreal.

2. City Council join the City of Oshawa, whose resolution is in Attachment 2 to Member Motion MM5.5, in endorsing and pledging support for the City of Montreal’s Motion of February 20, 2023, moved by Craig Sauvé, Conseiller de la Ville du district de Saint-Henri-Est-Petite-Bourgogne-Pointe-Saint-Charles-Griffintown and seconded by Serge Sasseville, Conseiller de la Ville du district de Peter-McGill.

3. City Council forward this Item to the Prime Minster of Canada; the Honourable Omar Alghabra, Federal Minister of Transport; the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Federal Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities; Members of the House of Commons; the Premiers of Ontario and Quebec; the Honourable Caroline Mulroney, Ontario Minister of Transportation; the Honourable Geneviève Guilbault, Quebec Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility; the City of Montreal; each Municipality and Region on the Toronto-Montreal Rail Corridor; Martin R. Landry, President and Chief Executive Officer, VIA Rail; Tracy Robinson, President and Chief Executive Officer, CN Rail; the Association of Municipalities of Ontario; and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.