Build Ontario Line trains in Thunder Bay: NDP

TORONTO AND THUNDER BAY — NDP Leader Andrea Horwath is calling on Doug Ford to build Ontario Line train cars in Thunder Bay, instead of shipping the jobs overseas. NDP MPP Judith Monteith-Farrell said that could make all the difference to Thunder Bay train car builder Alstom.

“Let’s save jobs in Thunder Bay. Let’s create even more good jobs that pay the bills and support families. So much of what we need can be built right here — there’s no reason for Doug Ford to ship these jobs to Europe,” said Horwath. “Ontario needs transit, and Alstom can help build it.”

Monteith-Farrell said the Ontario Line train cars can be built in Thunder Bay — and the sooner Doug Ford gets the order in, the sooner the plant can recall workers from lay off to prepare the plant for the big job.

“Doug Ford should be getting the orders in for train cars to be built in Thunder Bay’s Alstom plant today,” said Monteith-Farrell. “Workers have been facing layoffs in my community because Mr. Ford isn’t ordering Ontario train cars for Ontario rail lines — and that’s got to change.”

Ford lowered Ontario’s mass transit vehicle Canadian content requirement rule to just 10 per cent from 25 so that he could give the Ontario Line train car contracts to Europe. Horwath and Monteith-Farrell want the Ontario Line train cars to be more than 25 per cent.

"Ford and his government have been arguing that using Toronto-based builders to handle construction in Toronto is enough Canadian content — pretending that somehow that's not exactly how projects like this are always built. He's trying to justify his bad choice and confuse people, but that does nothing for Thunder Bay train builders,” said Monteith-Farrell. “My community doesn’t want more excuses. We want jobs.

“The hardworking people of Thunder Bay need a government that will commit to more Canadian content, to build the Ontario Line and future transit cars right here in Thunder Bay. If Doug Ford won’t do it, Andrea will.”