A once-in-a-lifetime transit project that plans to connect Toronto's downtown core to Montreal and Quebec City is still slated for completion in the mid-2030s, according to VIA High Frequency Rail (HFR) CEO Martin Imbleau.

Considered the largest transportation infrastructure project in Canada since the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway, the proposed transit network is set to roll on approximately 1,000 kilometres of dedicated tracks, with stops in Toronto, Peterborough, Ottawa, Montreal, Laval, Trois-Rivières, and Quebec City. 

While the massive project is still in its early stages, Imbleau told the Star that he still expects the high-speed transit line to be in operation by the mid-2030s.

The CEO also stressed the need to anticipate population growth throughout the busy corridor and provide a solution to the traffic congestion. Once running, the project is expected to cut the journey between Toronto and Montreal from around six hours to three-and-a-half hours. 

Toronto will soon have 200 km/h trains but not everyone is happy about it https://t.co/fzfKhJp4OV

— blogTO (@blogTO) February 21, 2024

"Maybe we can do it in three hours 45 minutes, three hours 30 minutes, three hours 15 minutes, maybe less," Imbleau told reporters last month. 

The objective, he says, is to put in place a rapid service that's comparable to European standards, where trains can travel at a speed of 200 kilometres per hour.

In an interview the Star, Imbleau noted the high-speed trains connecting France with Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Italy, and Spain as examples that will inspire the service in Canada. 

The tendering process is currently underway to select a private sector partner, and three international consortiums are working to finalize their applications.

By the end of 2024, the government will select a private sector partner to co-develop the project.