VIA Rail Canada has broken ground on a new 100,000-square-foot assembly and maintenance facility in Montréal, Québec, backed by a 357 million CAD federal investment. Constructed by Pomerleau, the site will support the final assembly and long-term maintenance of the rail operator’s incoming pan-Canadian fleet ahead of operations starting in summer 2029.
The groundbreaking ceremony took place on October 8, 2026, drawing approximately 60 employees from VIA Rail, Pomerleau, and local supply chains, according to railway-news.com. Site excavation is already underway and will continue through January 2027, with foundation work scheduled to begin mid-month. At the peak of construction, up to 200 workers are expected on site.
Montréal Facility Role in the Pan-Canadian Fleet Renewal
The newly minted facility will serve two distinct operational phases for VIA Rail. Initially, it will handle the final assembly in Canada of up to 36 out of 45 battery-diesel hybrid locomotives ordered from Stadler, alongside pre-service testing. Once the locomotive assembly wraps up, the building transitions into a long-term maintenance hub.
This maintenance mandate covers both the Stadler locomotives and 313 passenger cars ordered from Alstom. The structure itself integrates directly into VIA Rail’s existing Montréal Maintenance Centre, leveraging current infrastructure and technical expertise.
| Project Detail | Specification |
|---|---|
| Facility Size | 100,000 square feet |
| Federal Investment | 357 million CAD (facility) / 6.7 billion CAD (total programme) |
| Primary Contractor | Pomerleau |
| Rolling Stock Partners | Stadler (locomotives) and Alstom (passenger cars) |
| Operational Target | Summer 2029 |
Broader Economic Impact and Leadership Remarks
The Montréal construction project forms a vital component of VIA Rail’s broader pan-Canadian fleet renewal programme. Funded by a total 6.7 billion CAD investment from the Government of Canada, the nationwide procurement and infrastructure overhaul is projected to generate 6,050 full-time equivalent jobs across the country and yield over 2 billion CAD in economic benefits.
“The start of construction of this new assembly and maintenance facility marks an important milestone in the renewal of VIA Rail’s pan-Canadian fleet,” said VIA Rail president and chief executive officer Mathieu Paquette. “This new facility will enable us to provide our passengers with reliable, modern and safe service, while also strengthening Canada’s rail expertise and capacity for decades to come.”
Foundation work at the Montréal site begins in mid-January 2027, keeping the facility on track for its scheduled summer 2029 operational launch.
