The first segment of Canada's proposed high-speed rail network will connect Montreal and Ottawa, Radio-Canada has learned.

Federal Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon is expected to make the announcement this morning alongside Martin Imbleau, the CEO of Alto, the Crown corporation overseeing the project.

While the exact route hasn't been finalized, public consultations to determine the precise path are set to begin in January. Officials have already confirmed, however, that the line will include a stop in Laval, Que.

Groundbreaking for the project is scheduled for 2029.

The decision to start with the 200-kilometre stretch between Montreal and Ottawa comes down to geography, with it being the shortest and flatest section of the proposed corridor, sources told Radio-Canada.

Developers a

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