adys123
Active Member
OL Contract has Canadian Content requirements, so final assembly will require setting up a local facility.
Hamilton Hamilton Line B LRT | ?m | ?s | Metrolinx
- Thread starter Kiwi
- Start date
BrenWilson
Active Member
Perhaps ML has learned from the failed Quebec City Tram bid. They may still go with Alstom but opening the bids up will hopefully drive the price down.
rbt
Senior Member
Canada signed a free trade agreement with the EU a few years ago. Canadian content requirements would breach that agreement.
allengeorge
Senior Member
That’s actually untrue. I swear I remember reading about this, and it took me a while to find it during lunch (instead of simply linking to CETA):
“Another important carve out for goods is the procurement of mass transit vehicles in Ontario and Quebec. While the obligations under CETA will generally apply to procurement of these vehicles, the two provinces have an exemption allowing them to accord a preference for Canadian content. Specifically, both provinces are allowed to require bidders to allocate 25% of the contract value to domestic Canadian content. In this case, “contract value” is defined broadly to include the cost of components, raw materials, labour, maintenance services and all “final assembly” costs incurred in Canada.”
Source: https://www.mccarthy.ca/en/insights...ment-sub-federal-procurement-challenges-ahead
junctionist
Senior Member
Considering the billions of dollars spent by the provincial and federal governments to subsidize the auto industry, it's good to have something to protect the transit industry. Sometimes, I wonder if the provincial and federal governments are serious about transit, walking, and cycling when they spend so much money to subsidize the auto industry.
They have a vested interest in people driving as much as possible. People need to buy cars, drive, wear out their cars and buy new cars as quickly as possible; otherwise, the government won't recoup its investments in our auto plants.
They have a vested interest in people driving as much as possible. People need to buy cars, drive, wear out their cars and buy new cars as quickly as possible; otherwise, the government won't recoup its investments in our auto plants.
APTA-2048
Senior Member
Of course the Ford Government cut this requirement from 25% to only 10%. So in all likelihood, the trains will be made in Hitachi’s new American facility with a few components sourced from Canada.
innsertnamehere
Superstar
And rightfully so. Propping up an uncompetitive production plant in Thunder Bay costs taxpayers hundreds of millions.
allengeorge
Senior Member
And this is partly why Canada remains a resource extraction economy on the export front. (And yes, well-educated people who move to the US after studying in Canada are another example of that.)
Bojaxs
Active Member
Nothing really new to add, just some perspective.
I'm currently in Calgary for work. I was off today so decided to check out the downtown. Downtown Calgary feels very similar to downtown Hamilton. Old office buildings, massive one way roads, surface parking lots next to towers.
I headed down to the "free fare" zone for the C-trains. I was surprised at how fast the trains travelled and the frequency of trains. Also ridership seemed really high. It was 4pm and every train was full.
I could definitely see Hamilton's LRT operating very similar to Calgary's C-trains. I hope Hamilton's LRT trains will travel as fast. I really think the city should push harder for the 403 bridge and not implement the two 90° turns at Dundurn.
I also saw the C-trains running through the North-East suburbs of Calgary (my hotel is near the airport) and helped me to envision another potential line running up on the mountain potentially connecting to LimeRidge. Probably wouldn't be connected to the Main St. line due to the escarpment.
I'm currently in Calgary for work. I was off today so decided to check out the downtown. Downtown Calgary feels very similar to downtown Hamilton. Old office buildings, massive one way roads, surface parking lots next to towers.
I headed down to the "free fare" zone for the C-trains. I was surprised at how fast the trains travelled and the frequency of trains. Also ridership seemed really high. It was 4pm and every train was full.
I could definitely see Hamilton's LRT operating very similar to Calgary's C-trains. I hope Hamilton's LRT trains will travel as fast. I really think the city should push harder for the 403 bridge and not implement the two 90° turns at Dundurn.
I also saw the C-trains running through the North-East suburbs of Calgary (my hotel is near the airport) and helped me to envision another potential line running up on the mountain potentially connecting to LimeRidge. Probably wouldn't be connected to the Main St. line due to the escarpment.
Last edited:
Allandale25
Senior Member
Posted yesterday:
Let's Get Rolling on Hamilton LRT - Hamilton Light Rail Initiative
The citizens initiative to bring light rail transit to Hamilton, and the definitive resource on that subject.
hamiltonlightrail.ca
BrenWilson
Active Member
AFAIK the RFQ was supposed to happen Jan or Feb anyways.
Allandale25
Senior Member
‘A huge mistake’: Toronto councillor Josh Matlow warns Hamilton against privately run LRT
Toronto councillor Josh Matlow urges Hamilton to run its own LRT
thespec.com
Article has quotes from Josh Matlow but also interviewed someone from Waterloo who said this:
There are other quotes in the article about contacts having carrots and sticks.
Also:
Might be other key points of interest in the article just ran out of time to write more but wanted to post more than just the link.
CharmAlarm
Active Member
Another key point:
At the meeting, councillors will consider a staff recommendation to contract out the running and maintenance of Hamilton's long-planned, 14-kilometre light-rail line — but also reserve the right to take over operations after a decade.
It's worth remembering that city council can debate and endorse LRT operating options, but the final decision is actually up to provincial transit agency and project manager Metrolinx.
At the meeting, councillors will consider a staff recommendation to contract out the running and maintenance of Hamilton's long-planned, 14-kilometre light-rail line — but also reserve the right to take over operations after a decade.
It's worth remembering that city council can debate and endorse LRT operating options, but the final decision is actually up to provincial transit agency and project manager Metrolinx.
BrenWilson
Active Member
Also quotes the waterloo official saying the poor winter service is due to lack of penalties in the contract, so it isn't all rosy.‘A huge mistake’: Toronto councillor Josh Matlow warns Hamilton against privately run LRT
Toronto councillor Josh Matlow urges Hamilton to run its own LRT
Article has quotes from Josh Matlow but also interviewed someone from Waterloo who said this:
There are other quotes in the article about contacts having carrots and sticks.
Also:
Might be other key points of interest in the article just ran out of time to write more but wanted to post more than just the link.
It's going to be MX's choice in the end but the City should maintain the position of HSR operations.
JP Danko came out against Matlow on twitter in what seemed like a very petty turf war, it's like Danko is attempting to speedrun old guard status on council.
TheHonestMaple
Active Member
I watched the committee meeting today. That's what I was thinking. The city has no say in how this thing will be operated. It's entirely up to the province and metrolinx.