The Crown corporation that runs the proposed Toronto‑to‑Quebec City high‑speed rail says it will continue the project despite opposition from the newly elected Parti Québécois government.

During the election campaign the Parti Québécois promised to withdraw from Alto’s train plan if it formed government, and that promise is now being tested.

PQ leader Paul St‑Pierre Plamondon argues the billions earmarked for the rail would be better spent maintaining Quebec’s aging hospitals, roads and public‑transit systems.

A Parliamentary Budget Office report estimates the rail could cost between $75 billion and $113 billion, far higher than the original forecast, raising fiscal concerns for the province.

Alto says the project will take about 15 years, involve many levels of government, and aims to start construction in 2029.

The clash shows how political priorities and budget limits can decide the fate of large infrastructure schemes.