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CTV News
3 minutes ago
- CTV News
Thunder Bay plant secures major subway car contract, safeguarding hundreds of jobs
Unifor is pleased to hear today's long-awaited federal government commitment to fund new TTC subway cars, with the union's expectation that the investment will result in good jobs at the Alstom plant in Thunder Bay. (File photo/Unifor/Presswire) Hundreds of skilled manufacturing jobs in Thunder Bay, Ont., have been secured after the federal, provincial and Toronto governments announced a sole-source agreement with Alstom Transport Canada Inc. to build 70 new subway cars for Toronto's transit system. The deal, confirmed in a joint announcement on Friday, ensures that Alstom's Thunder Bay facility will produce the trains for the Toronto Transit Commission's (TTC) Line 2 (Bloor-Danforth), along with additional cars for future extensions. The move safeguards critical employment in northwestern Ontario amid ongoing trade tensions with the United States. A win for Thunder Bay's workforce The agreement has been hailed as a major victory for Thunder Bay's manufacturing sector, which has long been a hub for transit vehicle production. The Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association praised the decision, emphasizing its regional economic impact. 'This is a win not just for Thunder Bay, but for all of northwestern Ontario,' said the association's president Rick Dumas in a new release Aug. 15. 'The skilled workers at Alstom's Thunder Bay plant have a proven track record of excellence, and this agreement provides stability for families, strengthens our local economy, and keeps our region at the forefront of Canada's transit manufacturing sector.' Thunder Bay City Councillor and NOMA Vice-President Kristen Oliver echoed the sentiment. '(Friday's) announcement demonstrates what can be achieved when all levels of government work together. This sole-source agreement means good jobs, economic security, and a strong future for Thunder Bay's manufacturing sector,' she said. Unifor, the union representing Alstom workers, also celebrated the decision, calling it a 'great victory' for Canadian workers. 'Unifor fought long and hard to get the federal, provincial, and municipal governments to support a Made-in-Canada solution,' said Unifor National President Lana Payne in a separate news release. 'We must use our Canadian procurement dollars to support Canadian workers and Canadian-made products, especially given the current trade war.' Sole-sourcing amid trade pressures The decision to sole-source the contract comes as Canada faces economic uncertainty, including U.S. tariffs on softwood lumber and other trade disputes. Governments emphasized the need for a 'Team Canada and Team Ontario' approach to protect domestic industries. 'In the face of U.S. tariffs and economic uncertainty, this decision will support Canadian and Ontario workers with good manufacturing jobs and ensure reliable trains for Toronto transit riders,' the governments stated in their joint release. The contract includes 70 six-car trains – 55 to replace aging Line 2 subway cars and 15 for the Yonge North and Scarborough extensions. Alstom must meet strict conditions, including maximizing Canadian content, adhering to TTC specifications and undergoing an independent price assessment. Thunder Bay - Alstom Transport Canada Inc An undated photo of light rail manufacturing operations at Alstom Transport Canada Inc.'s plant in Thunder Bay, Ont. (FIle photo/Supplied/Unifor) Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria underscored the province's commitment to local manufacturing. 'Our government is proud to protect Ontario from U.S. tariffs by ensuring the TTC's Line 2 subway trains will be made in Ontario, by Ontario workers,' he said. Securing Thunder Bay's economic future The Alstom plant has been a cornerstone of Thunder Bay's industrial economy for decades, producing transit vehicles for cities across Canada. Earlier this year, Ontario also committed $500 million to refurbish 181 GO Transit rail coaches at the facility, further stabilizing employment. Alstom approves GE bid A photo shows the company logo of Alstom at the headquarters of the leading global maker of high-speed trains, power plants and grids. (File photo/Christophe Ena/Associated Press) 'We are excited and ready to build the subways of the future,' said Justin Roberts, President of Unifor Local 1075, which represents the plant's workers. 'Reliable, sturdy, and resilient – the way (Friday's) announcement has contributed to the working lives of our members.' The TTC expects negotiations with Alstom to conclude by year's end, with production set to begin soon after. The aging Line 2 fleet will remain in service until the new trains arrive. A model for Canadian procurement The agreement sets a precedent for leveraging public transit investments to bolster domestic manufacturing. With billions in transit spending planned nationwide, unions and industry leaders hope to see similar commitments to Canadian jobs. 'Governments in Canada will spend tens of billions of dollars on transit vehicles in the coming years,' Unifor noted in its news release. 'In a sector valued at $2.9 billion GDP in recent years, leveraging this procurement to maximize Canadian content means procuring trusted, reliable vehicles that support Canadian jobs.' For Thunder Bay, officials say the deal is more than just an economic boost – it's a reaffirmation of the region's vital role in Canada's industrial landscape. 'At a time when global trade pressures are impacting Canadian industries, we must stand together as Team Canada and Team Ontario,' said Oliver.
CTV News
33 minutes ago
- CTV News
Air Canada flight attendants continue strike despite order to return, airline delays restart
CUPE's Air Canada Component President Wesley Lesosky says that the union is 'not willing' to accept the back-to-work order. Air Canada flight attendants remained on strike on Sunday past the deadline in a government-backed labor board's order to return to work, causing the country's biggest airline to delay restarting operations. The Canadian Union of Public Employees said in a statement that members would remain on strike and invited Air Canada back to the table to 'negotiate a fair deal,' calling the order to end its strike unconstitutional. The airline said it would delay plans to restart operations from Sunday until Monday evening. On Saturday, Prime Minister Mark Carney's Liberal government moved to end the strike by more than 10,000 flight attendants by asking the Canada Industrial Relations Board to order binding arbitration. The CIRB issued the order, which Air Canada had sought, and unionized flight attendants opposed. The Canada Labour Code gives the government the power to ask the CIRB to impose binding arbitration in the interest of protecting the economy. The government's options to end the strike now include asking courts to enforce the order to return to work and seeking an expedited hearing. The minority government could also try to pass legislation that would need the support of political rivals and approval in both houses of parliament, which is on break until September 15. The government did not respond to requests for comment. 'The federal government has entrusted a board to administer these rules in the Canadian Labor Code, and if you defy them, you are transgressing and essentially violating the law,' said Rafael Gomez, a professor of employment relations at the University of Toronto. The government, under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, intervened last year to head off rail and dock strikes that threatened to cripple the economy, but it is unusual for a union to defy a CIRB order. Flights grounded, passengers stranded Air Canada flight attendants walked off the job on Saturday for the first time since 1985, after months of negotiations over a new contract. Air Canada had said it planned to resume flights on Sunday evening, following the expected end of the strike that caused the suspension of around 700 daily flights on Saturday, stranding more than 100,000 passengers. The union called a decision by the CIRB chair Maryse Tremblay to not recuse herself from handling the case a 'staggering conflict of interest,' since she had worked as a senior counsel for Air Canada in the past. According to Tremblay's LinkedIn profile, she served as Air Canada's counsel from 1998 to 2004. The CIRB did not respond to a request for comment. Other unions joined the flight attendants' picket line in solidarity in Toronto on Sunday. 'They are in support here today because they are seeing our rights being eroded,' said Natasha Stea, an Air Canada flight attendant and local union president. Air Canada had started canceling flights on Thursday in anticipation of the stoppage. Travelers at Toronto Pearson International Airport said they were confused about whether their flights would resume or Air Canada would make alternative arrangements. 'We are kind of left to figure it out for ourselves and fend for ourselves with no recourse or options provided by Air Canada at this time,' said Elizabeth Fourney of Vancouver. The most contentious issue has been the union's demand for compensation for time spent on the ground between flights and when helping passengers board. Attendants are largely paid only when their plane is moving. CUPE had pushed for a negotiated solution, saying binding arbitration would take pressure off the airline. Air Canada said on Sunday that the CIRB had ordered the terms of the collective agreement between the union and the airline that expired on March 31 be extended until a new agreement can be reached. (Reporting by Allison Lampert in Montreal and Rishabh Jaiswal in Bengaluru; Editing by Tomasz Janowski, Kirsten Donovan, Rod Nickel)
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Saugeen Shores receives $18 million in provincial funding
The Town of Saugeen Shores has received $17,976,250 in funding from the Ontario Government for upgrades to the Southampton Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP). This funding has been awarded to Saugeen Shores through the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund (HEWSF) , a stream of the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program (MHIP) . 'We are deeply grateful for this substantial investment from the Province of Ontario,' said Mayor Luke Charbonneau. 'These upgrades to our wastewater infrastructure are a vital step in building a vibrant future for our community, ensuring that Saugeen Shores can continue to welcome sustainable growth.' The Southampton WPCP treats wastewater prior to discharge to the Saugeen River. Upgrades to the plant include a new headworks and pumping station and flow equalization tank, enabling the construction of up to 1,634 new homes in the community.
