The North Bay Nugget, established in 1907, is the daily newspaper for the northeastern Ontario community of North Bay.
TORONTO — PC Leader Tim Hudak is promising to review the controversial Metrolinx decision to hand a lucrative contract to refurbish GO Transit coaches to a Quebec-based company over a North Bay competitor.
“This July, a McGuinty government agency — Metrolinx — selected a Quebec-based company to refurbish GO Transit rail cars even though the (Ontario Northland Transportation Commission) has been doing high quality work for years,” says Changebook North, the party’s northern Ontario platform. “Yet Dalton McGuinty allowed this decision to stand, costing 100 good jobs.”
Hudak will release Changebook North Thursday in Thunder Bay.
While Changebook North calls on McGuinty to review the Metrolinx decision prior to the fall election, Hudak said he’s prepared to do so after Oct. 6 if his party forms the next government.
Metrolinx awarded a $120 million contract to refurbish GO Transit coaches to Canada Allied Diesel Railway Industries Ltd., in Lachine, Que., which bid $2 million less than Ontario North Railway (ONR).
Northern leaders are outraged they would lose a valuable contract over a less than 2% price difference.
Changebook North also calls for ONTC, a North Bay-based crown corporation, to be turned into a northern job creation body led by transportation experts.
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