Ontario Government Finalizes $1.3B Agreement with Alstom for Train Operations

After several months of speculation regarding who would take on the operation and maintenance of GO Transit and UP Express trains, the Ontario government has reached a five-year agreement with its long-time service partner.

In an announcement scheduled for Friday morning by Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria, the provincial government confirmed a $1.3-billion contract with Alstom, a global transportation company.

Officials from the Ontario government stated that this contract will generate over 1,100 jobs in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.

For over a decade, Alstom teams have been managing the operations of GO Transit and UP Express trains. The company has also taken care of train maintenance and refurbishment for Metrolinx’s extensive fleet.

During the operational year of 2024-2025, rail crews handled around 117,000 GO Transit trips alongside 56,000 UP Express trips.

At the close of 2024, Alstom was expected to cease operating GO Transit and UP Express trains following a significant contract with ONxpress Transportation Partners.

An operational division of ONxpress was slated to start a 25-year agreement on January 1, 2025. This deal focused on staffing operators needed to run and maintain GO Transit and UP Express trains, planning timetables, controlling train operations on Metrolinx’s network, and maintaining related infrastructure.

However, officials revealed in May that this agreement quietly fell through. The government shared little information publicly afterward. When it became known that the deal had ended, Metrolinx representatives informed City News that Alstom crews would continue operating trains throughout their regional rail network.

In addition to this role, Alstom is engaged in various other transit projects across Ontario. The company received a sole-source contract to produce an entirely new fleet of subway cars for TTC Line 2 at its facilities in Thunder Bay, Kingston, and Toronto. Newer Alstom light-rail vehicles are also present on TTC Line 6 Finch West.

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