The Ontario government says it will spend more than $350 million to refurbish 121 GO Transit bi-level rail cars at Ontario Northland's facility in North Bay.
It's part of the ongoing service expansion across the GO rail network, and will support hundreds of manufacturing jobs and economic growth in Northern Ontario.
“Premier Ford and our government have an ambitious plan to increase access to fast, affordable and reliable public transit across Ontario, and we need all hands on deck to achieve it,” Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said during a Jan. 27 visit to ON's Remanufacturing and Repair Centre in North Bay.
“We’re proud to invest in made-in-Ontario solutions that will deliver world-class transit while keeping good jobs in our province, right where they belong.”
The refurbished rail cars will be equipped with new interior finishings such as seating, flooring, walls, ceilings, new doors, and HVAC control systems. The work will be completed by Ontario Northland in North Bay, benefitting the region by sustaining and creating well-paying jobs, while supporting local suppliers and businesses.
"We look forward to continuing to work with the government of Ontario and Metrolinx on these important refurbishment projects," said Ontario Northland CEO Chad Evans.
"Our commitment to excellence continues to attract business to our Remanufacturing and Repair Centre, has resulted in job creation and job stability for our employees, and continues to drive economic growth throughout the region."
In 2024, Ontario announced the largest GO Transit service expansion in more than a decade, adding more than 300 weekly train trips to the GO rail network. The Ontario government is investing almost $70 billion over the next 10 years to expand access to public transit across the province.
"Today’s investment of over $350 million to refurbish 121 GO trains at Ontario Northland’s Remanufacturing and Repair Centre in North Bay will support jobs and economic development here in our region,” said Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli.
“As part of our government's plan to build Ontario, we’ll continue to support local industry while enhancing public transit across the province."
Refurbishing the bi-level rail coaches will extend their life by 20 years, while supporting the province’s ambitious GO Expansion program, which aims to deliver two-way, all-day service to Oshawa, Burlington, Kitchener, Stouffville and Barrie.
Metrolinx interim president Michael Lindsay noted, "Metrolinx and Ontario Northland are strong partners with shared ambitions to progress transit for the province. We are fortunate to work with Ontario Northland and build on that exceptional partnership through this initiative, which will benefit GO riders for years to come and support the growth of our future rail capacity."
Ontario Northland is also refurbishing several F59 locomotives that the province recently purchased from Metrolink, Southern California’s Regional Rail Authority. These 13 additional locomotives will be used to provide GO Transit with operational support and spare parts.
