Local residents take rail fight to Parliament Hill

Close to 100 local residents from Hastings - Lennox and Addington travelled to Ottawa on Wednesday to join a large rally opposing the proposed ALTO high-speed rail project.

The group was among hundreds of people from Ontario and Quebec who gathered on Parliament Hill to raise concerns about the rail corridor and its potential impacts on rural communities, farmland and property owners.

Heather Levy, a community organizer with Save Stone Mills – No ALTO High Speed Rail, said local residents quickly got behind the effort after learning allies in Quebec were planning a demonstration in the nation's capital.

A coach bus carrying around 50 people made the trip from Stone Mills, while many others from Lennox and Addington, Tyendinaga and the Belleville area, some carpooling and travelling by car.

The rally began on the Alexandra Bridge, where participants from Ontario and Quebec met before marching together to Parliament Hill. 

Speakers from both provinces addressed the crowd, while federal politicians from the Conservative Party and Bloc Québécois also attended. H-L&A-T MP Shelby Kramp-Neuman posted on Facebook she was happy to join the rally alongside her colleagues.

Kramp-Neuman went on to say in her post, "Canadians deserve answers about the billions in taxpayer dollars being committed to a project that is being pushed forward without proper scrutiny, transparency or clear justification of its costs and benefits.

This is not about opposing progress, it's about transparency, protecting communities, respecting taxpayers and focusing on the priorities that matter most to Canadians."

Levy said organizers hope the event helps bring local concerns directly to federal decision-makers.

While organizers viewed the day as a success, Levy stressed the campaign is far from over.

She also thanked community members across the region for their support, noting that residents have been writing letters, contacting politicians and speaking out against the project in growing numbers.

Story by Emily Chatwood