All three levels of the government have allowed to negotiate a only source of contract with TTC staff. Alstom Citing economic challenges, for a new fleet of Line 2 Bloor-Danforth metro trains.
According to a statement released by TTC on Friday morning, the current open bidding process has been canceled.
“In front of American tariffs and economic uncertainty, the decision will support Canadian and Ontario workers with good manufacturing jobs, and would ensure reliable trains for Toronto Transit Riders,” officials said. statement,
The move followed Month pressure to deal with Alstum, with a large plant in Thunder Bay. It is currently the only major manufacturer in Canada.
Critics of the only source contracts have generally argued that such deals can increase the price beyond the current market conditions.
TTC employees stated that the company is having conditions as part of the interaction, to save state -of -the -art trains at a reasonable market price, maximizing the creation of Canadian jobs, and benefits Toronto. ,
He said that as a result of any deal with Elstom, there should be a product that “conforms to the basic requirements of TTC,” maximize Canadian content and make Canadian jobs, “and pricing” pricing “should be subject to” independent third-party market value evaluation “.
Officials said negotiations between TTC and Ellstom are expected to be held in the coming months, and the transit agency’s board is due to receiving an update before the end of the year.
TTC employees are looking to insert 70 six-car trainSet’s base order, with 55 existing Line 2 trainesets and 15 new people to promote service to replace the service, when Yonj North and Scarborough Extensions open to the public (currently expected to be in the early 2030s).
TTC officials gave the cost of 55 line 2 trains to cost $ 2.27 billion, dividing three methods between the Toronto city, Ontario government and the Canadian government. He also said that an exaggeration of $ 163 million would be required to help the remaining part of the fleet to be operational until all new trains arrive.
The statement said, “The contract will include options for purchasing additional trains to meet future needs when funding is done and is subject to Ellstom’s performance.”
“TTC is working diligently to ensure that the line 2 fleet of aging operates safely and firmly until new trains arrive.”
The route to receive new trains for Line 2 has not been easy, Before this there is a delay in achieving the necessary funding From the federal government.
The huge work of overhaling the Bloor-Danforth Line began in 2020. TTC began setting up different funds to replace the current line 2 signaling system, some parts of which were installed in the 1960s with automatic train control. The transit agency’s Greenwood Subway Yard was conceived to be part of the project, including replacement of all trains.
“Although this system is safe, its reliability is declining despite the widespread preventive and corrective maintenance efforts,” the employees said in a report, referring to the current fixed-block signal system, which will be close to 70 years in some areas by the first appointed time of complete replacement in 2035.
Employees said that all the elements of the project need to be together to move forward with the overhaul and final expansion of the service. The initiative was “anchored on timely purchase of new metro trains.”
Fast-forward in mid-2023, when the transit agency included four bidders for 80 trains (line 2 and 25 with 55 replacement on line 2 and 25 at line 2 and 25) due to lack of adequate funds).
