VIA starts construction on Toronto maintenance facility
VIA Rail has started construction on a new maintenance facility in Toronto that it says will be an important pillar in the modernization of passenger rail transit in Canada.
The new Toronto Maintenance Centre will provide a state-of-the-art maintenance facility for VIA Rail’s new fleet of 32 trains in the Québec City-to-Windsor corridor.
Its innovative Vehicle Equipment Measurement System will allow VIA Rail to improve maintenance with an early warning detection system, ensuring any issues are dealt with swiftly, safely, and without prolonged downtime.
“This modernized maintenance centre will support us in our mission to provide our passengers the most enjoyable travel experience and better connect Canadian communities,” said Mario Péloquin, VIA Rail’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “It will also allow our employees to work with the most modern equipment and will provide them the necessary tools to maintain the new fleet according to VIA Rail’s standards of excellence.”
Construction work is being performed by Buttcon Limited. The project is expected to create up to 475 construction jobs between now and completion in 2026.
The scope of the work includes: the demolition of a portion of the existing structure and the construction of state-of-the-art facilities; construction of a new addition, removal, and replacement of tracks; and the addition of a stand-alone wheel lathe facility and critical infrastructure improvements throughout the maintenance yard.
The funding of the modernization of VIA Rail’s maintenance centres, the implementation and integration of various Information Technology systems as well as the transformation of maintenance processes are all part of the funding for VIA Rail’s Fleet Replacement Program provided in the 2018 federal budget.