NDP FOI shows Ford’s decisions cost Thunder Bay Alstom workers good jobs

THUNDER BAY – Recent documents obtained through a Freedom Of Information process has revealed that in 2020, Ford and his conservatives have mislead Thunder Bay workers to believing that their jobs were protected by strong Canadian content rules, while behind closed doors they were quietly cutting those requirements and opening the door to fewer local manufacturing opportunities. MPP Lise Vaugeois (Thunder Bay – Superior North) released the following statement:

“The documents show that the Ford government deliberately weakened Canadian content rules behind closed doors." Said Vaugeois. "When the Conservatives handed Hitachi a $9-billion contract to build Ontario vehicles in the U.S., they claimed it was a one-time exception. Instead, we’re seeing a pattern: Canadian content requirements for Ontario Line vehicles were slashed and then eliminated altogether for the GO Expansion project.

“In a time of economic uncertainty with the U.S., Thunder Bay workers deserve to know that Ford and his Conservatives won’t just sell off their work to the highest bidder. The Premier needs to answer for why his government hid this decision and who it was really meant to benefit. It’s time for a real Buy Ontario First strategy that protects local manufacturing and keeps good-paying jobs right here in Thunder Bay.”