Canada used to be the only G7 country without a dedicated pathway to a rail engineering degree, but with an explosion in rail transit mega projects now underway, that has changed.
September saw the launch of the country’s first rail specialism leading to a Bachelor of Engineering in English at Ontario Tech University in Oshawa, east of Toronto, with a corresponding programme in French at Polytechnique Montréal in neighbouring Quebec.
Ontario Tech says the interdisciplinary course combines elements of automotive, manufacturing, mechanical and mechatronics engineering with specialised railway technologies.
Canadian consulting engineer AtkinsRéalis and France’s Alstom helped design the course.
They gathered with Ontario Tech faculty and members of Ontario’s legislature to celebrate the new course on 28 November.
‘North America biggest transit expansion’
It comes as the Ontario government is investing US$50.5bn over the next decade on what it claims is the biggest transit expansion in North America.
With projects ranging from the Alto high-speed rail corridor linking Toronto and Quebec City, to Metrolinx’s US$12.6bn GO rail expansion, Canada is experiencing an unprecedented transit boom, and needs engineers.
And it will prefer growing its own after the province of Ontario and the city of Toronto moved to ban US engineering firms from public projects after President Trump launched a trade war against Canada earlier this year.
Ontario Tech says these projects will require a workforce over decades to design, build, and maintain the new rail systems.
In-demand careers
“Our government is committed to building the skilled workforce Ontario needs, and the launch of Ontario Tech University’s new Railway Engineering Specialization supports that mission,” said Lorne Coe, Member of Ontario’s Provincial Parliament for Whitby.
He added: “This first-of-its-kind programme will help prepare students for in-demand careers, strengthen our transportation sector, and advance our government’s plan to build a stronger, more competitive Ontario.”
Laurence Lebel, rail technical director for AtkinsRéalis, said: “Working alongside Ontario Tech and its students is an investment in the future of Canada’s railway network.”
- Subscribe here to get stories about construction around the world in your inbox three times a week
