Surrounded by other members of cabinet and a representative of the Siemens company at the ONTC station in North Bay, Timmins MPP and mines minister George Pirie was part of an announcement about upcoming Northlander rail service.
“$139.5-millon invested in three new rail train sets actually speaks to the long-term commitment to reintroducing passenger rail service here into Northern Ontario,” he says, “and especially into Timmins.”
With amenities like full accessibility and Wi-Fi service, Pirie calls the Siemens-built trains state of the art,.
“If you take a look at the rendering, the drawings, it looks like a piece of equipment that you would see in Europe. It’s sleek and modern,” he remarks. “It just speaks to the long-term commitment that the government has to deliver this passenger rail service for many, many years.
The Dalton McGuinty Liberal government derailed Northlander service in 2012. Pirie says the target for reinstatement is still 2026.
And he says the next step is an announcement next month in Porcupine, about construction of the new station there to serve Timmins.
