Ontario's transit agency has decided not to appeal a court ruling favouring Bombardier but will exclude the Montreal-based company from bidding to operate GO Transit trains as it has done for more than 40 years.
Metrolinx said Friday that it will seek new operators after the current contract expires in 2023 to run its service, which will quadruple in size.
The new contract is expected to be awarded in about a year.
Although it has had no problem with Bombardier's operations of its suburban and airport railway service, Metrolinx spokeswoman Anne Marie Aikins says it is looking for an international operator or consortium to run the enlarged service of 6,000 trains per week.
The selected operator will review the current services handled by Bombardier and two other Canadian companies before running the enlarged network.
Aikins says the agency also decided to no longer appeal an April Ontario Court ruling and instead focus on the dispute resolution process with Bombardier (TSX:BBD.B).
A judge ruled that Metrolinx can't cancel a $770-million contract with Bombardier without first going through dispute resolution.
The agency also turned to a French manufacturer for light-rail vehicles as a backup plan if Bombardier fails to deliver the contracted transit projects in Toronto.
Bombardier couldn't be immediately reached for comment.