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10/13/2026
VIA Rail Canada on Oct. 8 marked the start of construction on its new locomotive assembly and maintenance facility in Montreal.
The 100,000-square-foot facility is being built by Pomerleau and is funded by a CA$357 million investment from the government of Canada, VIA Rail officials said in a press release. Site excavation is underway and will continue through January 2027; VIA Rail anticipates the site will be operational in the summer of 2029.
Up to 36 of the 45 new battery-diesel hybrid locomotives VIA Rail ordered from Stadler for its pan-Canadian fleet will be assembled at the new facility, where the locomotives will also undergo pre-service testing. Once the units are in service, VIA Rail will use the facility as a long-term maintenance site for the new locomotives and the 313 passenger cars VIA Rail ordered from Alstom.
The facility will be integrated into the existing Montreal Maintenance Centre, leveraging existing infrastructure and the expertise of VIA Rail's technical teams.
"This new facility represents VIA Rail’s largest construction project in Montreal in nearly 40 years. Beyond the delivery of this landmark project, we are bringing together the expertise of our teams and partners to create a lasting piece of infrastructure that will benefit future generations," said Philippe Adam, president and CEO of Pomerleau.