Bombardier wins Toronto streetcar contract

TORONTO, April 24 (UPI) -- The Toronto Transit Commission announced Friday it awarded a contract worth as much as $3 billion for new streetcars to Bombardier Inc. of Montreal.

The initial order is for 204, 100-foot long cars that will run on 11 city routes by 2011, the Toronto Star reported.

The contract stipulates at least 25 percent of the cars must be made with Canadian parts and labor, and also includes an option to build 364 more cars for use on suburban lines, the report said.

The TTC has a fleet of 248 single and articulated streetcars that are 30 years old.

The contract must be ratified by city council, which was expected to pass it easily on Monday, the Star said.

Bombardier's only competitor in the bidding was the Canadian division of the German Siemens rail manufacturer, the report said.