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David Bellerive

@dbellerive.ca
225 followers 51 following 148 posts

I don’t just write about infrastructure: I want to help build it. Public systems, trust, delivery. EN/FR dbellerive.ca

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Reposted by David Bellerive
kaptrice 🐦‍⬛ @kaptrice.bsky.social · 10h
The PBO's cost estimate is the result of a weekend spent playing around with the Transit Costs Project spreadsheet and some typesetting. There is ~0 special insight and treating it as authoritative is silly
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 27/09/2026
Final day of Rail Safety Week, and an important one for me: I had the pleasure of partaking in today’s video about the importance of staying safe while enjoying, sharing, and talking about our railways! #RSW26 @railfans.ca
youtube.com
No Photo or Video Is Worth the Risk | David Bellerive, Rail Fans Canada
YouTube video by Operation Lifesaver Canada
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Reposted by David Bellerive
GO ALTO @go-alto.ca · 15/09/2026
The UPA commissioned a survey on Alto, tested many of its own arguments against the project, and compared it with a particularly favourable version of TGF. After all of that, 59% of Quebecers still supported Alto. We took a closer look at what the numbers actually show. go-alto.ca/en/updates/u...
go-alto.ca
UPA survey still finds majority support for Alto | GO ALTO
The UPA sought to show that support for Alto weakens as people learn more about the project. Its own survey still arrives at a difficult result to ignore: after the full exercise, 59% of Quebecers sup...
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 21/08/2026
We can take whichever point we want on a map, but if we are reducing Ottawa’s “downtown” to “its singular landmark”, then we can do the same for Paris ;) Though fair point, but it still shows something: local connections are needed in addition to intercity ones. One doesn’t preclude the other.
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 20/08/2026
This is not “an ad” from Alto (it is a position), and where community leaders should proactively engage with Alto, to identity key corridors and how they integrate in the transportation environment. Not every road can get a grade separation, but this is not the same as “no road will”.
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 19/08/2026
Oh and before I forget: amazing self-own to say you like it in Europe when Ottawa has literally its main station... way closer to the core than even Paris. Anyway.
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 19/08/2026
Bold strategy: tresspassing and taking a statiscally unpopular position for three reasons that are basically pandering rather than based in evidence. I'd say let's see if it pays off, but Neil's campaign as a whole is built on sinking deeper at every opportunity.
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 19/08/2026
In fact, the majority of Canadians support this project, regardless of politics and region. go-alto.ca/en/updates/c... And the communities can be part of the conversation, and should be: go-alto.ca/en/communiti... (And you can also check Alto's OWN pages: www.altotrain.ca/en/property-...)
go-alto.ca
The Polls Confirm It: Canadians Support Alto. Tell Your Representatives. | GO ALTO
A new Quebec poll confirms a clear trend: Canadians support high-speed rail and want to see Alto move forward.
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 19/08/2026
And on the third point, Alto has already, regularly committed to meaningful action to protect agricultural uses, compensate fairly and collaborate. It takes both sides at a table. I'd also like to point out that 9-10% of Ottawa's population is rural.
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 19/08/2026
Hi Neil, you might want to do some research but: - CAHSR is literally not built on the same model. Theirs is more of a "we don't have a real way to deliver the plan". No, LRT and HSR are not the same thing. - Local connections are parts of the conversation where municipal leaders SHOULD HELP.
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 13/08/2026
We can build all the models we want, but we usually miss what's actually happening right in front of us. Whether we improve the infrastructure, people still need to get between our biggest cities. The real question now is how we make that travel better and more productive in the future.
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 29/07/2026
Instead, I'd rather see bus routes that actually benefit from Chapel Hill P&R (on a good day, 30 cars there), proper local bus routes that connect people to where they need to go. Waiting 30 seconds at a roundabout during peak traffic? This is not a priority when we don't build the alternatives.
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 29/07/2026
Please, explain something to me. I drive there almost every day and I honestly don't understand how widening it would help traffic flow better. Outside of peak hours where one might wait a few moments in the morning, it is even less busy than what Mark is "showing".
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 26/07/2026
It is one of those “it makes so much sense” ideas that I cannot personally explain why it is not already underway. Quebec must develop a more robust and continuous method for delivering infrastructure projects.
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 23/07/2026
You will get the same question by email shortly btw. So will all the other mayoral candidates. You can tell people what they want to hear in their homes, but you also have to take a position for the city as a whole.
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 23/07/2026
And before you answer, I want to make sure you recall what you said yesterday. Are you willing to broadcast it to all of Ottawa, or just the ones in the room? youtu.be/okr6ToWOMvs?...
youtu.be
Neil Saravanamuttoo Manotick town hall
YouTube video by bellscorners
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 23/07/2026
Simple question for @neilsara.bsky.social: As candidate for mayor, would you support, oppose or interfere with ongoing development work for the Alto high-speed rail project and support the necessary work to deliver this project effectively in the city of Ottawa?
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 03/07/2026
Bonus treat: an XLR flight! So nice to finally have OPTIONS. I just wish Ottawa had more direct european options, but having the options to fly direct to Berlin from Montreal is massive.
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 30/06/2026
Also worth thinking about: this is my personal cost, for one year. We are not talking about decades or centuries here, we are talking about real impact on people’s everyday life. Time money and energy we could spend on what matters most to us. This is way bigger than getting people from A to B!
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 30/06/2026
Making support visible also means making the cost of the status quo visible. Building @go-alto.ca has been a rewarding exercise in turning complex ideas into tools people can actually use Please, take the time to explore your own cost of inaction: the numbers add up very quickly!
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 16/06/2026
I also like how their AI poster link to “Altono” is wrong! I get graphic design is not everyone, but geez…
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 16/06/2026
The opposition to the project often talks about "a silent majority", and I will concede that they are right. The issue is the majority is on the side of those saying we should be building it. Canada has waited long enough for modern, transformative and necessary infrastructure.
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 15/06/2026
Definitely open to doing that as an expanded comparison. It just gets tricky fast because you have to decide what counts: airport access, security, traffic, parking, transfers, final destination, etc.
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 11/06/2026
And since listening to people is not your forte, maybe reading is?...
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 11/06/2026
@neilsara.bsky.social In those 5 minutes, you said literally nothing that contributed to a meaningful dialogue about improving transit for people of Ottawa. Congratulations.
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Reposted by David Bellerive
Jim M @hockeyinottawa.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
This picture is misleading, here. This is a better indicator of the opposition to Alto. And of course, there are polling numbers that show how many people actually support this.
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 08/06/2026
One SLIGHTLY broken thing: screenshot resizing. lol
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 08/06/2026
I just love new beta day. And frankly, this first beta is way smoother than any release version of iOS26.
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 04/06/2026
Councilor @timtierney.ca: investing in our city means using their talents. AI imagery should not be a substitute for real human talent. Ottawa has countless art groups, artists, photographs, graphic designer that could have built a poster that values and enriches the event. Instead, you chose AI.
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Reposted by David Bellerive
Rail Fans Canada @railfans.ca · 01/06/2026
Ever wonder how an O-Train actually enters service each day? In this video, we take a look at how trains are launched from Albion Yard onto Line 2 & 4. There’s a lot more going on than you might expect. youtu.be/7urbUuADisc
youtu.be
From Yard to Mainline: How Ottawa's O-Train Line 2 & 4 Launches Trains
YouTube video by Rail Fans Canada
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Reposted by David Bellerive
GO ALTO @go-alto.ca · 28/05/2026
Merci à Julien Sahuquillo et à Radio-Canada Toronto d’avoir reçu GO ALTO pour parler de la campagne citoyenne en appui au train à grande vitesse dans le corridor Québec–Toronto. Le Canada a assez attendu. Bâtissons ALTO. ici.radio-canada.ca/ohdio/premie...
ici.radio-canada.ca
Lancement d'une campagne citoyenne pour le TGV Alto | OHdio | Radio-Canada
Écoutez l’extrait de l’émission Y a pas deux matins pareils : Lancement d'une campagne citoyenne pour le TGV Alto
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Reposted by David Bellerive
Alex Glista @glista.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
The first pieces of Exhibition Station’s superstructure have been installed. This hub will be a major transfer point between Lakeshore West GO trains, 509 + 511 streetcars, and the Ontario Line subway, serving Liberty Village and the busy Exhibition Grounds.
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 26/05/2026
Purely anecdotal, but it was one of the key reason I kept a SIM tool on my key-chain while working front-line support/retail for a carrier. It actually made a massive difference in the number of devices we sent out for repair to actually just "check". It is not just pocket lint that gets in there.
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Reposted by David Bellerive
Jim M @hockeyinottawa.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
Yeah, hes been doing that for awhile. Someone should write several hundred complaints.
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Reposted by David Bellerive
GO ALTO @go-alto.ca · 25/05/2026
Hello Canada. We are GO ALTO. Canada has waited long enough for high-speed rail in the Québec–Toronto corridor. We’re here to make support visible and build momentum. Explore the campaign and add your name: go-alto.ca/en/updates/n...
go-alto.ca
GO ALTO launches national campaign for high-speed rail | GO ALTO
An independent public campaign working to make support for high-speed rail visible, public, and sustained.
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 18/05/2026
Hello, Montreal. Today is a new dawn for the @remgrandmtl.bsky.social with the (actual) opening of the Anse-à-l’Orme branch! 4 new stations, 14km of mostly elevated guideway.
Anse-à-l’Orme station at dawn.The storage and light maintenance facility behind Anse-à-l’Orme station with three trains in view through a fence.The onboard passenger information display showing the next stations: Anse-à-l’Orme, Kirkland, Fairview-Pointe-Claire and Des Sources.Views from the elevated guideway.
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 14/05/2026
If not, might I refresh your memory: www.ontario.ca/page/ottawa-... Did you read, apply and resonate about ALL the recommendations?
ontario.ca
Ottawa Light Rail Transit Commission
Learn about Ontario’s independent inquiry into Stage 1 of the Ottawa Light Rail Transit system.
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 14/05/2026
Hey. Me again. @timtierney.ca, you seemed to really enjoy using the observations of BTO, especially after calling "plant" on them. Now here is a question for you: why you think it would be wise to launch a line if not 100% ready in order to achieve a date so you can brag to your voters?
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 14/05/2026
Hey, councillor @timtierney.ca Reminder that democratic participation doesn't rely on which ward someone comes from. They bring genuine concerns. @bettertransitottawa.ca has done something you haven't done: ask questions and identify what can be done to improve service. Not just slogans.
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Reposted by David Bellerive
Jim M @hockeyinottawa.bsky.social · 26/04/2026
This stat makes me happy.
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 22/04/2026
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 22/04/2026
Guys, be careful about the echo chamber... ... says the echo chamber.
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 22/04/2026
This isn’t really about trains. It’s about whether Canada is still willing to build major infrastructure, or keep studying it. The case has been known for decades. The question now is whether we act on it. dbellerive.substack.com/p/why-i-supp...
dbellerive.substack.com
Why I Support Alto
Alto represents more than a train: it is a test of whether Canada is still willing to build ambitious, human, nation-shaping infrastructure.
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 21/04/2026
5/ This is one of those moments where your voice can matter. If you support high-speed rail in Canada, take a few minutes and submit feedback: en.consultation.altotrain.ca/shaping-the-... Want to do more? Reach out to journalists, MPs, ministers, and councillors. Visible support matters.
en.consultation.altotrain.ca
Shaping the Canada of tomorrow with high-speed rail
The train we need Alto’s aim is to build the country’s first high-speed rail network that will run at speeds of 300 km/h or more to efficiently connect major cities in the Toronto–Québec City corridor...
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 21/04/2026
4/ Even when it’s presented as if support is weak, the opposite is true. High-speed rail has strong, nationwide support, including 62% in a survey commissioned by an opposition group. We’re not lacking public support. We’re deciding whether to act on it. www.railfans.ca/news/canadia...
railfans.ca
Canadians Support High-Speed Rail. It’s Time to Build It.
Rail Fans Canada supports the development of high-speed rail in the Toronto to Québec corridor. That position is not speculative or aspirational. It reflects where public opinion in Canada already sta...
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 21/04/2026
3/ We also visited an Alto open house and documented it all: from route planning to engineering, environmental studies, and timelines. We wanted to hear directly from the experts. If you want a better sense of what’s being proposed and how the consultation works: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fk3I...
youtube.com
We Visited the Alto High-Speed Rail Open House : Here's What We Learned
YouTube video by Rail Fans Canada
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 21/04/2026
2/ On behalf of @railfans.ca, we’ve also submitted a detailed brief as part of this consultation. It reflects years of coverage and analysis of passenger rail in Canada, and outlines what we believe is needed to deliver this project successfully. Read it here: www.railfans.ca/news/brief-s...
railfans.ca
Brief Submission - ALTO High-Speed Rail Public Consultation - April 2026
Rail Fans Canada has submitted the following brief as part of the public consultation for the ALTO high-speed rail project in the Québec–Toronto corridor. If you believe, as we do, that Canadians dese...
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 21/04/2026
Final week for Alto consultations! Feedback closes April 24. If you support high-speed rail in Canada, now’s the time to show up and make your voice heard. Every action counts. en.consultation.altotrain.ca/shaping-the-...
en.consultation.altotrain.ca
Shaping the Canada of tomorrow with high-speed rail
The train we need Alto’s aim is to build the country’s first high-speed rail network that will run at speeds of 300 km/h or more to efficiently connect major cities in the Toronto–Québec City corridor...
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Reposted by David Bellerive
Jim M @hockeyinottawa.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
Note that the reason this got passed is because it doesn't explicitly say it reduces the bus lanes from 3 to 2 hours. Clause 3 includes the word "existing", which modifies the staff recommendation. This moved fast because @shawnmenard.bsky.social hid the modifier in unclear language.
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David Bellerive @dbellerive.ca · 08/04/2026
We have had the data for how long at this point? This is not a "brand new, unknown problem", this is transit measure 101. The symptoms won't change. What you are trying to change is what "data sources" matter.
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