Toronto's transit authority is moving forward with a sole-source contract to acquire new subway cars from Alstom, a train manufacturer. The announcement was made on Friday, with plans for the majority of the new cars to operate on Line 2 of the subway system. Alstom has manufacturing facilities located in Thunder Bay and Kingston, Ontario.

City officials stated that both the federal and provincial governments, along with the city, have approved the TTC's decision to pursue this single-source contract. This move comes in response to U.S. tariffs and economic uncertainties, aiming to support Ontario workers.

"Torontonians need fast and reliable transit. With our Line 2 subway cars coming to the end of their lifespan, we're partnering with Provincial and Federal governments to buy new trains to keep TTC riders moving," said Mayor Olivia Chow. She emphasized the collaboration to enhance the transit system while supporting local jobs amid challenging trade conditions.

The competitive bidding process for the train contract has been canceled, as confirmed in the news release. The initial procurement plan includes 70 six-car train sets: 55 to replace aging trains on Line 2 and 15 for the Yonge North and Scarborough extensions.

The contract may also allow for additional train purchases if more funding becomes available and contingent on Alstom's performance. The TTC is committed to ensuring that the current Line 2 fleet remains safe and reliable until the new trains are delivered.

Negotiations with Alstom are expected to take place over the next few months, with a report on the progress due to the TTC board by the end of the year. The total cost for the new rolling stock is projected to be around $2.3 billion, with financial contributions from all three levels of government.

Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria expressed support for the initiative, stating, "Our government is proud to protect Ontario from U.S. tariffs by ensuring the TTC's Line 2 subway trains will be made in Ontario, by Ontario workers."

The current subway cars on Line 2 are nearly 30 years old and are significantly different from the newer Toronto Rocket trains that service Line 1. Those were manufactured in Thunder Bay by Bombardier before its train division was acquired by Alstom, which operates in 63 countries worldwide.

Chow has previously noted that the new subway cars will be equipped with advanced signals and technology, allowing for more frequent service. The TTC operates a total of 143 trains across its subway system, which sees approximately 1.1 million customer boardings each weekday. Line 2 alone accounted for about 419,000 of those boardings as of March, a number projected to rise to 661,000 daily by 2041.