A decision by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) an government to single source subway trains from the Alstom plant in Thunder Bay is being applauded by the plant’s union.
"This is a great victory,” said Unifor national president Lana Payne in an Aug. 15 news release. “Unifor fought long and hard to get the federal, provincial and municipal governments to get on board and support a Made-in-Canada solution.”
The workers at the Thunder Bay plant are represented by Unifor Local 1075.
"We must use our Canadian procurement dollars to support Canadian workers and Canadian-made products, especially given the current trade war,” said Payne.
The order is for 70 six-car train sets. Fifty-five trains, jointly funded by the federal, provincial and city governments, will replace aging trains on Line 2 (Bloor-Danforth); with 15 trains for the Yonge North and Scarborough extensions.
The TTC said the competitive bid process for the trains has been cancelled.
The decision was framed as supporting Ontario manufacturing jobs in the face for U.S. tariffs and economic uncertainty.
"We are excited and ready to build the subways of the future," added Unifor Local 1075 president Justin Roberts. "Reliable, sturdy and resilient – the way (Friday’s) announcement has contributed to the working lives of our members."
A year ago, the union local had grave concerns about the plant's future unless new orders came through.
If all goes well, the TTC said in a news release that the contract obtains options for more orders from Alstom in the future contingent on funding and the rail car manufacturer’s performance.
"This decision to formally award this contract to Alstom speaks volumes with respect to how we must support Canadian workers, local industries, economies and communities. We need to see more of this if we are to build a more resilient Canadian economy,” said Payne.
Last January, the provincial government said it was committing to spend nearly $500 million to refurbish 181 GO Transit bi-level rail coaches at the Alstom plant in Thunder Bay, extending the train car’s service life by 20 years and delivering all-day service to Oshawa, Burlington, Kitchener, Stouffville and Barrie. The first cars from that program arrive in Thunder Bay in 2027.
Alstom, a French train manufacturer, acquired the Thunder Bay facility from Bombardier in 2021.
Safeguarding hundreds of Thunder Bay manufacturing jobs was also welcomed by the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA) in referencing the Team Canada and Team Ontario approach taken by government to bolster the Canadian economy.
“Today’s investment secures the plant’s production line, supports skilled tradespeople, and strengthens the region’s role in delivering the transit infrastructure Canadians rely on,” said a statement from NOMA.
"This is a win not just for Thunder Bay, but for all of Northwestern Ontario,” said NOMA president and Marathon mayor Rick Dumas in a release.
“The skilled workers at Alstom’s Thunder Bay plant have a proven track record of excellence, and this agreement provides stability for families, strengthens our local economy, and keeps our region at the forefront of Canada’s transit manufacturing sector.”
