THUNDER BAY – The premier recognizes the frustration of Toronto politicians over Bombardier streetcar delays but is urging them to remain patient.
During her Thursday visit to Thunder Bay, Kathleen Wynne acknowledged the continual delays Bombardier has had in meeting deadlines to send completed streetcars to the Toronto Transit Commission.
“Do I wish they were going to deliver those vehicles on time? Absolutely. But we need to recognize the broader importance of this company,” Wynne said.
There are only 17 operational streetcars, despite the original expectation of 73 by the end of 2015.
Most recently, Bombardier informed Toronto they were taking “decisive action” to get the delivery schedule for the $1.2 billion, 204-car order back on track by opening a second manufacturing line.
However, that means the company is only planning on delivering 16 vehicles this year, far short of their pledge just weeks before to send four vehicles per month.
Fed up with the delays, the TTC board voted last fall to launch a $51 million claim against Bombardier and considered barring the company from future contracts, though no such action has been taken.
The contract received provincial contributions and Wynne stressed it is important for Toronto to realize the impact the Thunder Bay assembly plant has on the local economy.
“Of course, there’s disappointment those timelines can’t be met and I understand that disappointment on the part of the city of Toronto,” Wynne said.
“But Bombardier is a very important company. It’s a very important company in Thunder Bay, it’s a very important company in Ontario and it’s a very important national company. We have worked with Bombardier. There are 1,200 new jobs because of the infrastructure investments we’re making. You can draw a direct line between the infrastructure investments that we’re making and those 1,200 jobs here.”
The company has previously attributed the delays to faulty plants coming from their Mexican manufacturing facility. This second line will be operated out of La Pocatière, Que.
Thunder Bay-Atikokan MPP Bill Mauro introduced a private member’s bill in March 2014 that would have increased Canadian content requirements on provincially funded mass-transit projects from 25 per cent to 60 per cent.
That will was lost when Mauro was appointed to cabinet shortly before the 2014 Ontario election.
Wynne was asked about whether there should be legislation to enhance minimum Canadian content standards on public transit projects.
“That’s something we would have to work on with the federal government within the trade agreements,” she said.
“But I believe that Bombardier is looking at their practices and my hope would be that they will make changes that will allow them to access more Canadian parts and therefore be able to fulfill their contracts more expeditiously.”
