Thunder Bay Chamber and CEDC want VIA Rail cars built at Thunder Bay Alstom plant
Thunder Bay’s Chamber of Commerce and Community Economic Development Commission want to see Via Rail’s new rail cars being built in Canada.
The organizations have sent a joint letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney advocating for Canadian content in VIA Rail’s ongoing $3 billion rail car procurement.
The letter also highlights the potential economic benefits of awarding the contract to Alstom Canada’s Thunder Bay facility, which could generate hundreds of direct and indirect jobs, while revitalizing local manufacturing.
The organizations stressed that having the train cars built in Canada is the goal.
“At this point, it’s our understanding that there aren’t actually any Canadian content requirements in the procurement process,” explained Thunder Bay Chamber President Charla Robinson.
“We know that the federal government is in the process of developing a buy Canadian policy and legislation that would apply to these types of procurements moving forward, but that is not the law yet, and so we want to make sure that this project doesn’t get missed and that, even though the legislation isn’t in place, we want to make sure that those similar rules will be in in place for this Via Rail purchase.”
“We do not want that work to go out of country.”
Via Rail last awarded a contract to build new train cars in 2018 to Siemens, a subsidiary of a German company.
However, the train cars were built in the United States.
The United States has a Buy American requirement for buses, subways, and other mass transit projects.
It states that 70 per cent of the project, as well as final assembly, must occur in the U.S.
“Amid a damaging trade dispute with the United States and aggressive Buy American policies that exclude Canadian suppliers, ensuring high Canadian content in the VIA Rail contract is essential to protect Canadian jobs and strengthen domestic manufacturing,” added Robinson.
“That’s the message that we want to make sure that not only our elected officials get, but also the folks at Via Rail, this is not an ordinary time, and this would be very negative for there not to be a buy Canadian approach to this $3 billion of taxpayers’ money. I mean, that’s a lot of money.”
The entire letter can be found by clicking here.
