In a move to reinforce its Buy Canadian Policy, the federal government is allocating over $4.7 billion for Via Rail to procure and maintain 313 new passenger rail cars from Alstom Canada. This marks the first instance in forty years that Via Rail passenger cars will be entirely manufactured in Canada, a departure from the previous practice of sourcing from the United States.
During a visit to the Alstom Plant in Thunder Bay, Ont., Prime Minister Mark Carney highlighted the significance of this initiative which will involve Canadian electricians, machinists, and welders in the production process. The manufacturing and assembly of the new rail cars will take place in Thunder Bay and La Pocatière, Que., with design and engineering work based in Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Que.
The government anticipates substantial economic benefits from the project, projecting a potential injection of over $1.6 billion into the economy and the creation of nearly 700 jobs in Ontario and Quebec. Michael Keroullé, president and CEO of Alstom Americas, expressed enthusiasm for the opportunity to collaborate with Via Rail on this significant project, emphasizing the urgent need to replace the aging fleet of cars, some of which are 70 years old.
This announcement follows another major undertaking at the Alstom Plant, where the final assembly of new subway cars for the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is already in progress, with a substantial portion of Canadian content incorporated into the production process.
Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.