“The passenger cars don’t look refurbished, they look new,” Kathleen Wynne spoke at the ribbon-cutting of the first of 16 passenger cars for the Polar Bear Express. Her praise was a testament to the hard work from ONR workers in North Bay on this project.
“I want to recognise the fantastic work that has been done here already and I look forward to celebrating the work that is yet to come,” Wynne said. “This is just the first of the sixteen cars. All of you who are doing this work are making a huge difference for the people of this province.”
Friday morning, the Premier, along with Northern Development and Mines Minister, Michael Gravelle, toured the ONR Refurbishment and Repair Centre on McIntyre Street and congratulated the workers on a successful first step in their grand refurbishment project.
"We are proud to deliver the first car of the Polar Bear Express remanufacturing project,” Corina Moore, President and CEO, Ontario Northland Transportation Commission said. “The refurbished equipment has been thoughtfully built to meet the needs of our passengers, and it showcases the quality refurbishment work produced by our Remanufacturing and Repair Centre."
Ontario's $17-million investment in the Polar Bear Express will upgrade and modernize a rail service that provides an essential link for people and businesses in the North -- the only year-round ground transportation connecting Cochrane to Moosonee and the James Bay Coast.
These refurbished cars will improve the travel experience for passengers with new seats hosting electrical and USB charging, accessible washrooms, modern flooring, enhanced luggage space, comfortable dining cars and a family car.
Gravelle said this demonstration was to remind Ontarians of the vitality of infrastructure and the government’s commitment to providing it to citizens.
“We’re here to demonstrate our recognition of just how vital reliable rail transportation is to those communities and the link it provides to so many essential services,” he said. “We’re gathering to remind Ontarians of our government’s ongoing commitment to ensuring the northern communities and industries benefit from a viable, efficient and sustainable transportation system.”
Mayor Al McDonald, who had been working with the minister on this project said these ONTC workshops would have a bright future in North Bay.
“This is the future of manufacturing here in North Bay,” he said proudly. “The men and women here have a great reputation across the country for their incredible work and we want to grow this further. We will see even more job creation through these shops.”
Wynne’s visit to North Bay marked the last of her seven-day tour of Northern Ontario, which concluded today in Kirkland Lake and New Liskeard.
