High-speed rail construction could begin in four years, LeBlanc says

Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc says the government's new major projects office will work to get construction underway on the Alto high-speed rail line within four years.

He says the work would determine the final route for the planned high-speed rail project between Toronto and Quebec City.

Former prime minister Justin Trudeau announced in February that the government had awarded a $3.9-billion, six-year contract to a consortium to design the project.

The 1,000-kilometre high-speed rail network would take passengers from Montreal to Toronto in just three hours on trains travelling up to 300 kilometres an hour.

LeBlanc says the major projects office would work with Alto, the Crown corporation in charge of the rail line, to accelerate engineering, regulatory and permitting work.

Alto was not on the list of five projects referred Thursday to the major projects office, but the government has listed it among others that could be considered in future.