Canada commits $4.7 billion for new VIA Rail cars

The federal government has announced a $4.7 billion investment for VIA Rail to acquire and maintain 313 new passenger rail cars from Alstom Canada. The project is part of Ottawa’s Buy Canadian Policy and will keep manufacturing work in Canada rather than sending it to the United States. Prime Minister Mark Carney said the cars will be built and assembled in Thunder Bay, Ontario, and La Pocatière, Quebec, with design and engineering work in SaintBrunodeMontarville, Quebec. He said the project should support nearly 700 jobs across Ontario and Quebec. Alstom says the contract will replace older cars that are about 70 years old and marks the first time in four decades that VIA Rail passenger cars will be built entirely in Canada. The government estimates the project could generate more than $1.6 billion in economic benefits.