**Ontario Premier Doug Ford, pictured with Prime Minister Mark Carney. /** **TWITTER PHOTO**

A high-speed rail line between Quebec City and Toronto that would boost economic growth faced a new possible obstacle as the Ford government responded negatively to the federal government’s rejection of an expanded airport on the Toronto waterfront.

In the wake of Ottawa’s ruling on Billy Bishop Airport, numerous media outlets reported that Premier Doug Ford is reconsidering support for the controversial high-speed rail project championed by Ottawa.

"If this is how they're going to treat bigger projects, I don't think you'll get much built," Ontario Transport Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said at a Tuesday news conference.

The federal government gave in to "fringe groups" in nixing Ford’s plan to allow jets to land at Billy Bishop Airport, he said.

Earlier this year, Ford and Prime Minister Carney laid out a “Canada-Ontario Partnership to Build” deal, which included support at Queen’s Park and Ottawa for the Alto project.

But the current airport disagreement, which is an outlier in the generally good relations between Ford and Prime Minister Carney, has the potential to evolve into an enduring clash.

Sarkaria said the government has “no intention” of scrapping the airport expansion. “We urge the federal government to continue to consider that proposal because it is a proposal that makes sense for people that want to travel through air and have different options and it is also about building big projects,” he told the media.

The Alto project has been a source of controversy among farmers along the planned right-of-way. Now, 11 eastern Ontario MPPs have put out a statement urging Ottawa to guarantee that a high-speed rail line “minimizes impacts on farmland and is supported by the people affected.”

“Investments that strengthen Ontario’s economy, improve transportation, and create jobs need to reflect the priorities and needs of rural communities, farmers, families, and local businesses,” the MPPs stated, adding: “Public confidence in major infrastructure projects depends on meaningful consultation. In the case of Alto, too many questions remain unanswered. Too many voices have been ignored.”