Province spending $139.5M to buy three trainsets for Ontario Northland

The Ontario government is buying three new trainsets as part of its plan to bring back northeastern passenger rail service.

The $139.5 million purchase is the next step in the province’s plan to reinstate rail service between Timmins and Toronto.

“This is a significant step forward in bringing back the rail service that northerners deserve,” Stan Cho, associate minister of transportation, said in a news release Thursday.

“The reinstated Northlander train will support our northern industries and resource sectors and provide a safe and reliable transportation option for northern communities, especially in the winter months. This purchase demonstrates real progress, as we continue to take concrete steps to build a better transportation network for the north.”

The new rail cars will be built by Siemens Mobility Ltd. and will meet the latest EPA Tier 4 emission standards, making them one of the most environmentally friendly diesel locomotives on the market.

The fully accessible fleet will include built-in wheelchair lifts, mobility aid storage spaces, galley style food services and fully accessible washrooms.

“People and businesses in northern Ontario rely on a safe, convenient transportation network to get where they need to go and to keep our goods moving,” Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation, said in the release.

“The reinstatement of passenger rail service will ensure access to essential services like health care and education, while supporting economic prosperity and tourism in the region.”

The trainset interiors will also feature spacious seating and modern amenities, including Wi-Fi connectivity and passenger information systems with audio and visual announcements.

Once reinstated, northeastern passenger rail service will be offered from four to seven days a week, based on seasonal travel demands.

Ontario Northland Transportation Commission’s Northlander passenger train discontinued service in 2012.

CURRENTLY OPERATES BUSES

Ontario Northland currently operates four buses daily between Toronto and North Bay, and one to two buses daily from North Bay to Timmins and Cochrane.

In April 2022 Ontario Northland Transportation Commission released the Updated Initial Business Case which included a preferred route from Toronto to Timmins with a rail connection to Cochrane.

Cochrane will provide a connection to Polar Bear Express service to Moosonee.

“By 2041, annual ridership is currently estimated to be between approximately 40,000 and 60,000,” the province said in the release.

The route will include 16 stops: Toronto (Union Station), Langstaff, Gormley, Washago, Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, Huntsville, South River, North Bay, Temagami, Temiskaming Shores, Englehart, Kirkland Lake (Swastika), Matheson, Timmins and Cochrane.

"The people of Timmins and northern Ontario are ecstatic about our government bringing back the Northlander rail that was discontinued in 2012,” Timmins MPP George Pirie said in the release.

“These communities need another affordable transportation option that connects them to the rest of the province and provides access to goods and services in other regions. This is an essential transportation corridor in northern Ontario that supports the entire economy because the movement of people and workers is critical for the resource sectors including mining and forestry."