QUEEN'S PARK — Thunder Bay-Superior North MPP Michael Gravelle is introducing a Private Member's Bill in the Ontario legislature aimed at helping Bombardier obtain new contracts for its Thunder Bay plant.
The bill would mandate that public bodies in Ontario which buy mass transit vehicles only consider bids that include at least 60 per cent Canadian content.
In addition, final assembly of vehicles would have to take place in Canada.
"The time has come for us to protect Ontario manufacturers who have a long history of producing mass transit vehicles in our province," the Liberal MPP said in a prepared statement Monday.
"Bombardier has successfully done that job for many decades now and I want to continue to see Thunder Bay's largest private sector employer benefit from the significant public mass transit work that will be happening in Ontario over the next number of years.," Gravelled added.
The legislation was scheduled to be introduced Monday afternoon.
If passed at last reading, it will be debated in the legislature on Thursday, Oct. 31.
Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce President Carla Robinson welcomed Gravelle's announcement, saying the bill "will help to level the playing field for mass transit manufacturers in Ontario and will ensure that Ontarian receive the best value for their tax dollars through the creation of local jobs and expertise."
Doug Murray, CEO of the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission, said the bill has the Cedes' "strong support."
"This is about creating jobs in Canada for products and services paid for by Canadian taxpayers. Our government should have the appropriate levers to do that, as do governments in other jurisdictions," Murray said.
Mayor Bill Mauro expressed his thanks to Gravelle for choosing this issue for his private member's bill "that is of obvious importance to the city."
The mayor has noted previously that American jurisdictions have content quotas of up to 70 per cent.
About 550 workers at the Thunder Bay Bombardier plant are scheduled to be laid off starting next month, as work on existing orders begins to wind down.
In a statement to Tbnewswatch, a spokesperson for the company said "We believe the issue of local content is important for the manufacturing workers of Ontario and for Canadian local technology. We will review this bill and follow its progress in the Ontario legislature.”
