The federal government is set to announce plans on Wednesday for a high-speed rail line from Toronto to Quebec City, the Star has learned.
Two sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the anticipated project will be unveiled in Montreal, where Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Transport Minister Anita Anand were slated to make an announcement Wednesday.
Both sources confirmed the project - which the government expects to build with a group of private-sector partners - will be to build high-speed rail from Toronto to Quebec City.
Neither of them shared details of the plan Tuesday evening, including how much it would cost, how long it could take to construct, or how much it could cut current train-travel times through Canada's most populous region.
The Star granted the sources anonymity because they weren't authorized to share news ahead of the announcement. Anand's office did not respond to requests for comment from the Star on Tuesday evening.
The federal government has deliberated for months about the new rail project after it received bids from three private groups that applied to partner with a new Crown corporation to build the line.
The private groups - which include national rail corporations from France, Spain and Germany, along with companies like Air Canada - were asked to submit plans for two types of rail between Toronto and Quebec City: less than 200 km/h and more than 200 km/h.
Martin Imbleau, the chief executive of the Crown corporation charged with overseeing the project, has said high-speed rail could reduce train travel from Toronto to Montreal to little more than three hours, down from the more than five that it takes now.
Photo: The federal government has deliberated for months about the new rail project after it received bids from three private groups that applied to partner with a new Crown corporation to build the line. JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER AFP via Getty images file photo