The Ontario government in Canada has awarded a construction contract for the refurbishment of platforms and the installation of shelters along the Northlander corridor, a key transportation link between Timmins and Toronto.
The contract encompasses platform reconstruction at Cochrane, Englehart, Kirkland Lake, Matheson, North Bay, Temagami and Temiskaming Shores.
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The upgrades will include raised concrete platforms, better accessibility features, enhanced lighting and new signage. Pre-manufactured shelters will also be erected at four of the stops.
Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria stated: “The Northlander will not only bring safe and reliable transportation back to communities ranging from Muskoka to North Bay to Timmins – it will also help unlock the province’s full economic potential by supporting northern industries and resource sectors and improving access to good-paying jobs and essential services like health care and education.”
The government has revealed the Northlander’s new exterior design, showcasing state-of-the-art trains that will form part of an integrated transportation network.
The modern trains will be fully accessible, with wheelchair lifts, mobility aid storage, food services, Wi-Fi and accessible washrooms.
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By GlobalDataOntario Northland CEO Chad Evans stated: “The construction now taking place will ensure the Northlander stops are safe, reliable and welcoming for all passengers.
“We are excited to see this work being delivered and to showcase the exterior design of the trainset. These are critical milestones as we prepare for the new era of the Northlander.”
EllisDon has secured the contract for the construction work north of North Bay. The service, once operational, will offer four to seven weekly trips in each direction, with 16 stops, tailored to seasonal travel patterns.
In May 2024, the Ontario government awarded three contracts for the design and manufacture of nine new station shelters, rail safety enhancements and warning system upgrades.
The developments are part of the Draft Transportation Plan for the North, aimed at bolstering the province’s transportation network.
The government also announced the acquisition of three new trainsets from Siemens Mobility in December 2022, as part of its plans to revitalise the Northlander corridor. The new trains will be built to meet the latest emission standards.
In 2023, the Canadian government committed $7.8m (C$10.5m) to Huron Central Railway in Northern Ontario through the National Trade Corridors Fund, matching this with additional funding of up to $7.8m (C$10.5m).
