Beyond the Tracks: Alto, Tourism and Economic Growth
In this episode of Forward Motion, host Andrew Siegwart sits down with Peter Paz, Senior Director of Public and Government Relations at Alto, to explore what Canada’s first high-speed rail project could mean for Ontario’s tourism industry, communities and economy.
Alto is developing a high-speed rail corridor connecting Toronto, Peterborough, Ottawa, Laval, Montréal, Trois-Rivières and Québec City, with trains expected to reach speeds of up to 320 km/h. But as Peter explains, the opportunity extends far beyond faster travel. Better connectivity could create new possibilities for leisure and business travel, strengthen access to destinations, unlock investment and reshape the way visitors move throughout Ontario and Québec.
Andrew and Peter dive into Alto’s research on the potential tourism impact of high-speed rail and why tourism needs to be considered from the beginning. Peter shares that Alto’s research found the tourism impact could vary dramatically depending on the level of coordination, from approximately $177 million in additional GDP and 2,000 tourism jobs under a low-coordination scenario to approximately $3.9 billion in additional GDP and 43,000 tourism jobs through a highly coordinated approach. The takeaway: realizing the full opportunity will require collaboration between Alto, governments, municipalities, destination organizations and tourism businesses.
The conversation also looks at what communities can do now to prepare, from connecting local and regional transportation systems to thinking about visitor experience, transportation access and destination development. Peter discusses the importance of considering everything from local transit connections and station access to wayfinding, bike parking and the overall passenger experience.
Peter also shares Alto’s approach to consultation, Indigenous engagement and community benefits, including workforce development, social procurement and opportunities to leave lasting benefits in communities along the corridor. He explains how public input is already shaping the project, including the consideration of Kingston as a potential station and efforts to protect the Frontenac Arch Biosphere.
Looking ahead, Andrew and Peter discuss what it will take to turn high-speed rail into a broader tourism and economic opportunity, and why collaboration needs to begin long before the first train leaves the station.
About Peter Paz
Peter is Senior Director of Public and Government Relations at Alto, the Crown corporation leading the development of Canada’s high-speed rail project. With more than 15 years of experience in the transportation sector, including leadership roles at Metrolinx, he specializes in building partnerships with governments and communities. At Alto, Peter oversees the development and implementation of Alto’s Community Benefits Plan and engagement program, ensuring the project creates inclusive opportunities and lasting benefits along the Corridor.
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