The Ontario government will spend $85 million for Bombardier to build 28 Go Train cars for the city of Toronto.
MPP Bill Mauro (Lib., Thunder Bay-Atikokan) on Friday confirmed the deal, previously reported in the media, has officially been signed, meaning prolonged work for about 250 of the company’s 1,400 Thunder Bay employees.
“It’s a very significant addition to a long line of contracts we’ve been able to announce here,” Mauro said, calling it money well spent.
Rene Lalande, vice-president of the business unit at the Thunder Bay facility, said the bi-level car deal is a great one for the company.
“It enables us to continue to maintain the employment of our folks for a longer period of time. It happens at the same time we’re building the new bi-level car, so we’re going to be able to maintain production while we introduce production of the new car.”
Lalande estimated it will take about eight months to fulfil the contract once work begins.
He noted the Bombardier plant is also working on a two-phase light-rail deal with Toronto that will keep workers going until 2022.
“We sell these bi-level cars in 14 different cities in North America and we are currently in discussion with two more customers to get additional ones,” Lalande said.
“With the investment we’re making in the new generation, making it lighter, making it more cost-efficient, making it better for the passengers, more affordable and adapted to modern technology, we’re confident we’re going to go well beyond the 2015 order that we have right now.”
