Giving Wildlife a Voice:
Alto High Speed Rail

You may have seen headlines about Alto, the proposed high-speed rail network linking Toronto and Montréal. While this project offers an opportunity to meet our climate goals, it presents a significant challenge for wildlife in the Algonquin to Adirondacks (A2A) corridor.

 

The rail line, which would be entirely fenced for safety, would bisect this continental migration pathway. For the moose, bobcats, and sensitive herptiles we work to protect, an unmitigated rail line acts as a permanent wall, blocking the movement essential for their long-term survival.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To ensure this project respects the region's unique biological values, we are proactively sharing our connectivity mapping and data on areas of ecological significance with the Alto team. Our goal is to ensure that landscape permeability and the preservation of intact habitat are prioritized from the earliest design stages. 

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Our advocacy focuses on:

• Evidence-Based Design: Using our corridor mapping to identify critical "pinch points" and prevent habitat fragmentation.

• Robust Mitigation: Pushing for a high frequency of wildlife overpasses, tunnels, and viaducts (elevated rail sections).

• Habitat Protection: Maintaining strict buffer zones around core forest areas and significant wetlands. 

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