THUNDER BAY — The balance between obtaining contracts, retaining employees, and getting government funding continues to cause concerns about the Thunder Bay Alstom plant.
The company has 500 people working on two contracts, which involve refurbishing GO Transit bi-level cars and manufacturing the Toronto Transit Commission's light-rail vehicle streetcars.
These contracts will provide work at this facility until late 2025 to early 2026.
Justin Roberts, president of Unifor Local 1075, said the outlook for the Thunder Bay facility for 2025 "isn't looking good" as the streetcar contract will soon come to an end and layoffs will begin.
"We're hoping the company will increase production speed on the GO Transit contract, allowing Alstom to retain more Unifor employees," Roberts said.
"Going forward from 2025, we need a major contract like the new Line 2 subway cars to sustain the workforce and hopefully even hire more people."
Lindsay Fenton, Thunder Bay Alstom general manager, said they are monitoring different options for bringing extra work to the facility.
"We are also closely watching developments in the much-anticipated federal funding and future request for proposal for the (Toronto Transit Commission's) Line 2 replacement subway cars," she said.
"As the only rolling stock manufacturer with a production footprint in Canada, Alstom is uniquely positioned to build these units. We were heartened when both Premier Doug Ford and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow recently announced their support for manufacturing those cars in Ontario."
Roberts met with Ford in August and said, "He gave me his word that he and his team would ensure we had enough work for a sustainable future."
He added that the union local's biggest concern is that if the government doesn't fund this project fast enough, there will be a gap in production, causing major layoffs.
"We also need the government to act on the Canadian content policies to help ensure the work stays local as much as possible for the sake of Local 1075 members and all the local suppliers that gain work with these contracts as well," Roberts said.
Fenton added, "Alstom is proud of its talented workforce and history in Thunder Bay and believes that Canadian urban transit funded by Canadian taxpayers should be built using Canadian expertise and labour."
She said maintaining highly skilled jobs and manufacturing capabilities should be a goal of all levels of government in Canada, which is evident in other countries worldwide, including the United States.
The Chronicle Journal / Local Journalism Initiative
