Alto and Cadence to launch phased market sounding for major works procurement on Toronto-Quebec City high-speed rail project 

MONTRÉAL, March 9, 2026 - Alto and its private developer partner Cadence to launch a phased market sounding program this month to prepare industry for significant upcoming procurement opportunities with Canada’s high-speed rail project. This initial phase will focus on rolling stock and signal systems. 

The market sounding represents a key activity within the development and pre-construction phase  leading up to construction in 2029-2030 and builds on the steel sector outreach that began in Fall 2025. It is designed to prepare the market for fast-approaching procurement opportunities, encourage competition, and maximize participation from Canadian companies. This outreach will extend to manufacturers, suppliers, and technology leaders in Canada and abroad and is intended to ensure that the project attracts qualified, world-class industry partners capable of delivering on Alto’s largest and most complex components. This includes trainset configuration fit for the needs of high-speed and Canadian climates, passenger experience features such as seating, accessibility innovations and more. 

Over the coming weeks, Alto and Cadence will meet with industry to gauge and boost interest, assess capacity, and identify opportunities to shape a procurement approach that prioritizes Canadian companies, while strengthening domestic supply chain resilience. This engagement will  outline technical requirements and anticipated timelines, and answer questions to help companies prepare for what’s to come. 

Alto will be Canada’s first high-speed rail network, spanning close to 1,000 kilometres from Toronto to Québec City and reaching speeds of 300 km/hour or more. It will significantly cut travel times and connect close to half of Canada's population. The project will create more than 50,000 jobs during construction and approximately 5,000 jobs once operational, generate productivity gains that could reach up to $24 billion, and contribute to cutting greenhouse gas emissions. 

The rolling stock and signals market sounding is the first of several industry engagements planned for 2026 and the years following. As development progresses, Alto and Cadence will share details on future engagement activities for other major components of the project, ensuring all interested stakeholders are aware of upcoming opportunities and can participate.