kEiThZ
Superstar
Sounds like my idea I mentioned a few years ago. Add a small token 225kph(ish) section to a mostly 177kph network, use some bullety EMUs, and call it HSR for marketing's sake.
It'd still be effectively HFR, but with the bare minimum tweaks necessary to be able to toot it as HSR. Essentially 90% HFR speeds with a 10% HSR sprint. Or thereabouts. Wouldn't cost much more, yet be actually potentially more attractive to marketing Canada as having HSR.
(Also, this would also provide a potential upgrade path to a fuller HSR down the road).
This is exactly how I have always said it should be done too. Let's face it, HSR is mostly expensive because of grade separation. So do that only on sections where the return is sound or where access is an issue (in urban areas). I'd argue there's a good case to be made for fully segregated and separated corridors from Toronto to Kitchener and Ottawa to Montreal. The rest can be proper signalized intersections with the train running at ~170 kph.
It's okay if London runs at 1:45, as long as Toronto-Kitchener is an hour. Likewise, it's okay if Toronto-Ottawa takes 3 hrs, if Ottawa-Montreal can be brought down to about an hour.