TTC Votes To Award Subway Contract To Bombardier
A plan to award Bombardier the contract to build 234 subway cars worth $710 million breezed through a vote by TTC officials Wednesday night.
The deal, which must still pass a full city council vote in September, has come under scrutiny over the potential cost to taxpayers.
Critics including Toronto mayoral candidate Jane Pitfield said the deal should have been put out to tender before simply being awarded to Bombardier.
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“Another two to three months just to allow other companies to bid. That’s all it would take, and then we’ll know whether we’re really getting the best deal for Toronto taxpayers,” Pitfield argues.
But Mayor David Miller and most of the transit commissioners believe going with the Montreal-based transportation giant is a good idea because it’ll create jobs in the province.
Bombardier has promised to build the cars in Thunder Bay, creating about 350 positions.
TTC commissioner Howard Moscoe defends the decision on the grounds that independent consultants deemed Bombardier’s price for the work ‘reasonable.’
Pitfield says she’ll vote ‘no’ on the plan when it comes up for a vote in council.
