Canada Picks Alstom to Build Passenger Railcars in Multibilllion-Dollar Deal

Canada Picks Alstom to Build Passenger Railcars in Multibilllion-Dollar Deal

Prime Minister Carney says the government would spend about C$4.7 billion to acquire new-generation passenger cars for state-owned Via Rail

By Paul Vieira

Sept. 3, 2026 12:24 pm ET

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Michael Keroulle, head of Alstom’s operation in the Americas, said this marked “the contract of the decade” for the company. Stephane Mahe/Reuters

OTTAWA—Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says the government is making its largest investment yet in a passenger rail as it has tasked Alstom ALO 2.01%increase; up pointing triangle to build 313 coaches.

At an Alstom factory in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Carney said the government would spend about 4.7 billion Canadian dollars (US$3.4 billion) to acquire new-generation passenger cars for state-owned Via Rail. Carney said this marks the first time the railcars would be built exclusively in Canada, with work done at the French company’s operations in suburban Montreal and northern Ontario.