Montréal-based VIA Rail Canada recently completed the modernization of the Toronto Maintenance Centre.
The four-year project was funded by a $310 million investment from the Government of Canada and was completed on budget.
“The completion of the Toronto Maintenance Centre is a concrete demonstration of how VIA Rail is modernizing passenger rail in Canada,” Mathieu Paquette, VIA Rail Canada president and CEO, said. “This facility gives our teams the infrastructure and technology they need to maintain our trains more efficiently, improve fleet availability and support a more reliable, accessible and comfortable experience for our passengers. It is another important step in redefining the travel experience in Canada.”
The upgraded center includes a new vehicle equipment measurement system, specialized heavy-maintenance equipment, redesigned yard tracks, windshield-washer-fluid and diesel-exhaust-fluid systems, expanded maintenance bays and inspection platforms, preventive and corrective maintenance tracks, and roof- and car-level work platforms.
The project is part of VIA Rail’s broader plan to strengthen passenger rail across Canada and deliver a modern, dependable, accessible and sustainable journey for Canadians from reservation to destination. Other investments include the Dorval Multimodal Hub, a Corridor fleet, and the renewal of its long-distance, regional and remote fleet.
The Toronto Maintenance Centre is expected to sustain nearly 240 permanent jobs.