Bombardier to lay off 200 workers at Thunder Bay plant within seven months

THUNDER BAY, Ont. – Bombardier Inc. says it will lay off 200 workers at its plant in Thunder Bay, Ont., as the company winds down production of ventilators.

Dominic Pasqualino, president of the Unifor local unit, says 125 workers will be let go starting in mid-October, with 75 more layoffs before April.

That will leave about 270 employees at the plant, which staffed 1,100 workers as recently as last year.

The plane-and-train maker in April announced a contract to help produce 18,000 ventilators for the Ontario government at its then-shuttered plant near Lake Superior.

The factory is handling sanding, painting and assembly work on the equipment for Brampton, Ont.-based O-Two Medical Technologies, which manufactures respiratory care products.

Pasqualino says the main goal now is to snare more contracts for bi-level commuter train cars, though concerns remain about the fate of the Thunder Bay facility as French rail giant Alstom SA prepares to complete its takeover of Bombardier’s train division.

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