Media Release: EK Council Declines Confidential Sharing Agreement with Alto

MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release

Thursday, September 17th, 2026 

Council Declines Confidential Information Sharing Agreement with Alto

Elizabethtown-Kitley, ON – At its meeting on September 14th, 2026, Council for the Township of Elizabethtown-Kitley considered a legal opinion regarding a proposed Confidential Information Sharing Agreement with Alto, the Crown corporation leading the proposed high-speed rail project between Toronto and Québec City.

Following discussion, Council voted not to enter into the proposed agreement.

The agreement would have allowed the Township to receive non-public information from Alto regarding the project and participate in discussions related to technical analysis, route planning considerations, and emerging project concepts. In exchange, the Township would have been required to maintain the confidentiality of information received through the agreement.

Council's decision was informed by an independent legal review of the proposed agreement. The legal opinion identified several considerations, including that the agreement did not specify the exact nature of the information that would be shared, provided limited provisions for termination, and would continue to restrict the Township from disclosing confidential information even if the agreement were terminated.

The legal opinion further noted that entering into the agreement could limit Council's ability to publicly discuss information obtained through the agreement with residents until such information became publicly available.

The Township has consistently expressed concerns regarding the proposed Alto rail corridor and its potential impacts on local communities, agricultural lands, and property owners. In April 2026, Council formally opposed the project in its then-current form and requested that alternative routing options along existing transportation corridors, including the Highway 401 and VIA Rail corridors, be prioritized for consideration. In addition, Council called upon the Federal Government and Alto to undertake meaningful consultation with affected municipalities, including the provision of detailed, transparent, and timely information regarding all potential impacts.

Alto has stated that it will not proactively approach or engage with elected officials ahead of the October 26, 2026 municipal elections. While this Council has declined to enter into the Confidential Information Sharing Agreement, the Township anticipates continuing to monitor developments related to the Alto project and advocating for the interests of Township residents through public consultation processes and ongoing engagement with project proponents and government representatives once consultation resumes following the election.

For more information regarding the Alto project, residents are encouraged to visit Alto's public consultation website and monitor Township communications for future updates. 

For more information regarding this matter, please contact:

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Media Release PDF: 2026-09-17 Media Release - EK Council Declines Confidential Sharing Agreement with Alto