Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
The Alto high-speed rail project is very interesting. This train will pass through my riding, in Saint‑Eustache. From Mirabel, it will pass through my riding. This high-speed rail project will connect Quebec City to Toronto. The project involves structuring investments, the largest in Canadian history. It will result in jobs. It will contribute close to $35 billion to the economy, create close to 51,000 jobs and improve productivity for future generations. Can you imagine the greenhouse gas savings this will generate, considering the number of people who travel between Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto? Let's also think about how fast we'll be able to travel.
Personally, I don't know if we'll still be sitting here once we have high-speed rail. However, this is a structuring project that will enable people to continue working while on the train and to travel quickly from one city to another.
It is clear that the route hasn't yet been finalized in my riding of Rivière‑des‑Mille‑Îles, which includes Deux‑Montagnes, Saint‑Eustache, Boisbriand and Rosemère. We are currently at the consultation stage. Alto is going around, meeting with people and addressing their concerns. It's far from over. It's important to continue to hold consultations. People can submit briefs. Some cities are submitting briefs. People are concerned. Alto is currently testing the soil.
Personally, I'm going to talk to you about the section between Montreal and Ottawa, because that's the one we're focusing on right now. We haven't gotten to the section between Montreal and Quebec City yet, which will go through Trois-Rivières. Right now, the first section we're analyzing is the one between Montreal and Ottawa. The good thing is that consultations are currently being held in both provinces. Consultations are being held in Quebec and Ontario. After that, consultations can continue for the regions further away. The section between Montreal and Ottawa will be the first to be built. There are lessons to be learned every time a structure like this is built. We will use that experience to continue on to Quebec City. We'll do the same thing to continue on to Toronto from Ottawa. We know that, when undertaking a major project like this, we must ensure that people are consulted properly.
At present, there is a fairly wide corridor, about 10 kilometres. In the end, the train won't be 10 kilometres wide. It will have a right of way of 60 metres wide. However, it is clear that, wherever it's located, it raises some concerns. It's important to keep in mind that my riding is south of Mirabel. Those who remember will recall that expropriations took place in Mirabel in the 1970s. Those expropriations were carried out under legislation that no longer exists. Under the new legislation, agreements must be reached before expropriations can proceed.
I can tell you that when the people of Mirabel heard about the high-speed rail, which could potentially pass through Mirabel, they were very anxious. From one generation to the next, they remember the expropriations for the airport. Where do the people of Mirabel who were expropriated in the 1970s go? Most of them moved to my riding, to Saint‑Eustache. People have spoken to me about their concerns; we're here to listen to them.
Alto is currently conducting consultations. It's important to begin with that first step. Following the soil assessment—environmental assessments are currently being done—we will be able to determine what the exact route between Montreal and Ottawa will be. That's the first section, as I mentioned earlier. Later on, there will be the section extending to Quebec City and the one going as far as Toronto.
I, for one, am very pleased with this project. I'm happy about it, and I support it. That said, I also listen to people who have concerns. We need to listen to them. As members of Parliament, that's exactly what we're here to do.
As I mentioned earlier, this is a project that will inject $35 billion to the economy, create 51,000 jobs and boost productivity for generations to come. As I said earlier, I don't know if we'll be able to take the train from Montreal to Ottawa to come to work here, but we'll see. Imagine this: The trip from Quebec City to Montreal would take 90 minutes by train. It's a dream. In addition, when you take the train, you get to see the scenery, it's fast, you can continue to work, and you can get things done.
By the way, 76% of Quebeckers support high-speed rail. The majority of people support the project. The proposed high-speed rail act would cut the time to start construction in half, with a launch scheduled for 2029, instead of 2032, according to the Prime Minister. It's 2026. It's coming up fast. Canada is investing $3.9 billion in project design, route planning, station location, environmental assessments and consultations. There would be up to 25 trains a day. That would be fantastic.
For the first segment alone, thousands of tonnes of steel and concrete, as well as significant amounts of copper and aluminum, will be required. I assume my colleagues have heard about our buy Canadian policy, which aims to prioritize steel, concrete and all precious metals sourced from Canada, especially aluminum, which is produced in Quebec. That would be used. There is no doubt that, with everything happening south of the border, it is important to reinvest in our economy, and everyone will benefit from it.
Alto is applying the principles of the buy Canadian policy and is working with Canadian industry for the required materials. That matters a lot, but it will also create good jobs for Canadians and Quebeckers.
I've met with people in my riding who had questions for me. In Spain, 30% of high-speed rail users are people—