Ontario partners with Thales in Canada to advance rail signal solutions
Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor
Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne toured Thales Toronto office in 2014.
Ontario Liberal Party
Ontario is partnering with Thales in Canada to develop the next generation of railway signaling solutions, which is expected to improve transit safety, efficiency and create jobs.
“Our number-one priority is growing the economy and creating jobs,” explained Brad Duguid, Ontario’s minister of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure.
“Our support for Thales will help it ramp up its research and development work and leverage new and innovative technologies. These efforts will allow Thales to strengthen its product offerings in the transportation sector, and increase its global competitiveness.”
The project will focus on research and advanced engineering to develop new communication-based train control solutions for mass transit, including subways, light rail and commuter rail systems. The partnership will help Thales in Canada create 126 jobs in the province while retaining another 963 at its Toronto office during the course of five years.
Ontario will invest up to CA$12 million (US$9.3 million) through the Jobs and Prosperity Fund to support the project, leveraging a private sector investment of about CA$80 million (US$62.2 million).
Thales in Canada is a wholly owned subsidiary of France-based Thales Group, a global defense, aerospace and transportation services company which operates in 56 countries, with a global workforce of 62,000. The Thales Worldwide Competency Centre focused on urban rail signaling is based in Toronto.
“We are pleased to partner with Ontario as we develop the next generation of rail signaling solutions. We look forward to continuing to tap into the province’s talented workforce as we expand our operations here,” said Mark Halinaty, president and chief executive officer of Thales Canada.
