Canada’s Ontario announces Northlander rail service restoration

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.

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.