OTTAWA, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on Prime Minister Mark Carney to cancel his government’s Alto high-speed rail project. This comes as a new Leger poll found 72 per cent of Canadians are not confident Alto high-speed rail will stay within the government’s $60 to $90 billion cost estimate.

“Canadians know the Carney government’s cost estimate for high-speed rail is a fantasy,” said Noah Jarvis, CTF Ontario Director. “A government in deep debt can’t afford a project that costs up to $90 billion and cost overruns are only going to drive up debt and interest charges further.”

The federal government is planning to build a high-speed rail line from Toronto to Quebec City that it says will cost $60 to $90 billion to build.

The Leger poll commissioned by the CTF found a majority of Canadians are not confident the government can build its high-speed rail line within the $60 to $90 billion estimate.

Results of the poll show:

• 33 per cent of Canadians are not at all confident
• 39 per cent of Canadians are not very confident
• 23 per cent of Canadians are somewhat confident
• Only 5 per cent of Canadians are very confident

Most Canadians of all age and gender groups are not confident Alto high-speed rail will cost $60 to $90 billion.

The Parliamentary Budget Officer estimates Alto high-speed rail could cost $75 to $113 billion in a recently released report. That’s up to $23 billion more than the government’s high-end estimate for Alto.

The PBO’s cost estimate does not include a possible eighth Alto stop in Kingston. A Kingston stop could cost up to $6.7 billion in extra costs, using the PBO’s cost per kilometre figures.

“Canadians can’t afford a big rail boondoggle that will drive up government debt and interest charges for taxpayers,” Jarvis said. “Carney needs to save taxpayer money and cancel the Alto high-speed rail project.”