High‑Speed Rail Toronto‑Quebec Cost Rises to $150 Billion, Exceeds Federal Estimates

An internal government document released to The Globe and Mail shows that the total cost of a high‑speed rail line from Toronto to Quebec City, including four decades of operating and maintenance expenses, is about $150 billion. This figure is well above the range that federal officials have repeatedly cited. Bill Curry, the Globe’s deputy Ottawa bureau chief, explains that the higher estimate reflects a more comprehensive accounting of long‑term costs that were omitted from earlier projections. The new figure puts the project’s financial viability under scrutiny and may prompt a reassessment of funding arrangements between federal, provincial and private partners.