The unions at the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission (ONTC) accuse Northern Development and Mines Minister Rick Bartolucci of “tightening the handcuffs” on the crown agency by not pursuing an outside contract for its rail car refurbishments shops.
The General Chairperson's Association wants the province to go after an unfinished $109-million VIA Rail contract that was originally awarded to Industrial Rail Services (IRS) in New Brunswick.
VIA terminated the 98-car refurbishment contract with the financially-strapped IRS and are reportedly looking for a new location to have that work performed.
The unions said Bartolucci is refusing to make a commitment to go after the contract.
“This work would go some distance to replacing the lost Metrolinx work (in 2011) to CAD Rail in Montreal,” said association spokesman Brian Kelly in a press release. “This revenue would contribute significantly to the ONTC finances and support all divisions and our mandate of social and economic development across the North.”
Earlier this spring, the Ontario government made the decision to divest itself of the ONTC. That process is just beginning with the passage of the provincial budget.
The Teamster Canada Rail Conference, representing 200 Ontario Northland maintenance of way workers, added government is breaking its own environmental laws by not conducting a public assessment of any undertaking that impacts the socio-economic livelihood of people and communities.
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