All three levels of government have confirmed that Alstom’s Thunder Bay plant will manufacture 70 new subway trains for the Toronto Transit Commission, securing jobs for workers represented by Unifor Local 1075.
The sole-source contract will see union members build 55 six-car trains to replace aging infrastructure on Line 2 (Bloor-Danforth) and 15 trains for the Yonge North and Scarborough Extensions, according to Unifor.
“This is a great victory. Unifor fought long and hard to get the federal, provincial and municipal governments to get on board and support a Made-in-Canada solution,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.
Government support amid trade tensions
In a joint media release Thursday, the governments said the decision “will support Canadian and Ontario workers with good manufacturing jobs and ensure reliable trains for Toronto transit riders” in the face of U.S. tariffs and economic uncertainty.
The announcement builds on Ontario’s January commitment to spend nearly $500 million to refurbish 181 GO Transit bi-level rail coaches at the same Thunder Bay facility, which is expected to support hundreds of jobs, according to the province.
Transit sector economic impact
Governments in Canada will spend tens of billions of dollars on transit vehicles in coming years, according to Unifor. The union said the transit vehicle sector was valued at $2.9 billion GDP in recent years.
“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,” said Payne. “We need to see more of this if we are to build a more resilient Canadian economy.”
Local union reaction
Unifor Local 1075 President Justin Roberts said members are prepared to begin production. “We are excited and ready to build the subways of the future,” said Roberts. “Reliable, sturdy and resilient – the way today’s announcement has contributed to the working lives of our members.”
Unifor Ontario Regional Director Samia Hashi called the contract “the right move to bolster Canada’s economy by creating sustainable, good-paying jobs right here in Ontario.”
Unifor represents 320,000 workers across Canada’s private sector, according to the union.
