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It's a false dichotomy to say that we can have either healthcare or high speed rail, even ignoring the difference between federal and provincial responsibilities. In fact, I'm certain we could have the money to build high speed rail while also getting vastly improved healthcare. Europe has both, China has both, and while I'm not familiar with Japan's healthcare system I wouldn't be surprised if they do too. Why not attack some other project that's also spending billions and billions of dollars that could be spent on healthcare? Like all that new military infrastructure Carney is promising, or all the oil pipelines and other fossil fuel subsidies, or maybe we could raise taxes, etc etc etc.
 
If/when Alto comes through Ottawa. Assuming they use the existing VIA routing, what major upgrades would be required?

1. Upgrades to the train station
2. Bridge replacements?
3. Grade separations? ie. New overpass/underpasses? ie. woodroffe, fallowfield, jockvale, moodie, cambrian & twin elm road, barnsdale, eagleson, ottawa street or McBean St. in Richmond, kettles road (that looks like a tough one to address), O"neil's might get realigned under the hydro lines instead? Dwyer Hill Rd., Montague boundary rd, weedmark rd (1 farmer on dead end), Holbrock Rd, Rosedale Rd N and arrival in Smith Falls :/ with hwy 15 needing a solution. (I realized I should have focused on going the other direction first!)
4. Any realignments to make tighter curves?
 
If/when Alto comes through Ottawa. Assuming they use the existing VIA routing, what major upgrades would be required?

1. Upgrades to the train station
2. Bridge replacements?
3. Grade separations? ie. New overpass/underpasses? ie. woodroffe, fallowfield, jockvale, moodie, cambrian & twin elm road, barnsdale, eagleson, ottawa street or McBean St. in Richmond, kettles road (that looks like a tough one to address), O"neil's might get realigned under the hydro lines instead? Dwyer Hill Rd., Montague boundary rd, weedmark rd (1 farmer on dead end), Holbrock Rd, Rosedale Rd N and arrival in Smith Falls :/ with hwy 15 needing a solution. (I realized I should have focused on going the other direction first!)
4. Any realignments to make tighter curves?
Those all sound about right. Hoping the City is ready to move on Stage 3 at the same time as Alto finalizes the alignment to get Woodroffe right.

Can't really speak for tight curves other than maybe the train will be slow enough by the time it gets to Ottawa, they might not be an issue.
 
It's a false dichotomy to say that we can have either healthcare or high speed rail, even ignoring the difference between federal and provincial responsibilities. In fact, I'm certain we could have the money to build high speed rail while also getting vastly improved healthcare. Europe has both, China has both, and while I'm not familiar with Japan's healthcare system I wouldn't be surprised if they do too. Why not attack some other project that's also spending billions and billions of dollars that could be spent on healthcare? Like all that new military infrastructure Carney is promising, or all the oil pipelines and other fossil fuel subsidies, or maybe we could raise taxes, etc etc etc.
Fords dream of a tunnel under the 401 would cost 100 billion plus and he wants the Feds to cover half.Lets cancel any tunnel and build the HSR rail faster.
 
Fords dream of a tunnel under the 401 would cost 100 billion plus and he wants the Feds to cover half.Lets cancel any tunnel and build the HSR rail faster.
Had forgotten about that one. That is very likely the dumbest infra project proposed in Canada right now. It almost makes the 3em lien look reasonable.
 
I have trouble imagining how they're going to handle the crossing at Billings and Pleasant Park. I can't imagine they're going to want to keep the status quo.
Alto should be 100% grade separated on an exclusive corridor, so any RoW shared with VIA will need to be at least triple tracked (double for Alto, single for VIA) and avoid any sort of intersection.
 
Good write up from Reece about Pierre Poliviere coming out against the HSR. It seems like pretty terrible political instincts to say "we don't want to do this because we think it'll be too hard".

Also, some of the arguments used against it will bite him if he gains power and then tries to build a pipeline. All the arguments such as being against expropriation and/or the negative impacts on communities, only benefiting specific parts of the country, could also be used for pipelines.

 

Interesting video by B1M about proposed HSR in Vietnam. Lots of issues and concerns raised.

Obviously different location and Geography but made some quick comparisons.

Vietnam: 1,541 km. Est cost $67 billion; population 102.2 million; per capita cost $655.72

Canada: 1000 km. Est cost $90 billion; population 41,472,081; cost per capita $2,170.13

Looking at the numbers something smells for the CDN Cost.

Vietnam has a denser built up population area making expropriation and displacement of people far greater. Looking at the Geography the project benefits the whole country. The CDN proposal does not benefit anything north and west of Northern Ontario nor Atlantic Canada. Why is the Vietnam proposal cheaper? For these reasons I find the CDN proposal a bad proposal. It is the wrong project at the wrong time. Priorities should be placed elsewhere.
 

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