TTC and Bombardier sign contract to build 204 new streetcars

The Toronto Transit Commission and Bombardier Transportation Canada Inc. today officially signed a contract for the manufacture and purchase of 204 new low-floor streetcars. On June 26, TTC Chief General Manager Gary Webster presented a notice of award letter to Bombardier to ensure the bid price deadline of June 27 was met.

In April, following an RFP process, a staff report recommended Bombardier be awarded a contract to build new streetcars for Toronto, subject to funding.

On June 26, Toronto City Council approved full-funding, allowing the TTC to place a streetcar order with Bombardier worth $1.2 billion. The delivery plan for the 204 new streetcars calls for a prototype vehicle to be delivered to the TTC in 2011. Passenger service will begin in 2012. All 204 cars will be delivered by 2018.

The new streetcars will replace the current fleet of 248 streetcars that were purchased in the 1970s and 1980s. These vehicles now need to be replaced, as the aging fleets are nearing the end of their useful lives. They are not accessible, their reliability is steadily declining, and maintenance costs continue to rise.

The new streetcars will be low-floor, quieter, have features such as air conditioning for greater customer comfort, and be able to carry almost twice as many people as the TTC’s current streetcars do. The new vehicles will help address crowding on the TTC’s streetcar routes, and accommodate ridership growth. The new vehicles will also have leading-edge technology for better reliability and performance.