![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6944089.1719525749!/httpImage/image.jpeg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpeg)
Confederation Line service will resume in weeks, not months: Ottawa transit commission chair
![OC Transpo O-Train derailed An OC Transpo O-Train is seen west of Tremblay LRT Station In Ottawa on Monday, Sept. 20, 2021 after it derailed on Sunday. (Justin Tang/THE CANADIAN PRESS)](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2021/9/20/oc-transpo-o-train-derailed-1-5593157-1632178642847.jpg)
The chair of Ottawa's transit commission suggests it will be weeks, not months, before the Confederation Line resumes service following last month's derailment.
Coun. Allan Hubley adds he's optimistic Rideau Transit Group can fix the problems with Ottawa's two-year-old light rail transit service permanently.
"I've lost confidence in their abilities here," said Hubley during an interview on CTV Morning Live Thursday morning.
"I haven't said that they can't do it, it's just they need to prove this to us. This is their chance to step up to show our ridership and the taxpayers of Ottawa that these are the right people for this job."
The Confederation Line has been out of service since Sept. 19, after an LRT car derailed near Tremblay Station, damaging the car, the track and the rail infrastructure. Rideau Transit Group said on Sept. 20 that it expected the rail line to be out of service for three weeks while the damage was repaired.
CTV Morning Live host Leslie Roberts asked Hubley if he had to target a date for the O-Train to resume service, would it be 30 days, three months or longer.
"Unfortunately, I cannot give you a specific date. We have to wait for the Transportation Safety Board to do their job, we've got to give them time and space to do a thorough investigation and provide us with direction from that," said Hubley.
"My hope is that once we get that green light from the Transportation Safety Board, RTM will be very quick in getting the trains out on the track.
"I definitely have no indication that it's going to be like months, I think we're talking weeks but I can't tell you how many weeks."
On Sept. 24, the city of Ottawa issued a Notice of Default to Rideau Transit Group as a result of the derailments on Aug. 8 and Sept. 19. On Tuesday, the finance and economic development committee voted to deliver a 'Notice of Dispute' to RTG, which escalates the legal dispute between the city and consortium operating the system.
"The derailments have caused severe reputational harm to the City and to the System," said a letter from Michael Morgan, Ottawa's director of rail, to RTG.
"The Derailments are affecting ridership and have seriously undermined the public's confidence in the System.RTG does not appear to appreciate the gravity of the current situation given its refusal and/or inability to implement swift and appropriate actions with an adequate level of resourcing."
A motion at FEDCO stated the city of Ottawa found RTG's plan to reduce service and the schedule were unsatisfactory. No details on RTG's plan to resume service were released to the public.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6944598.1719577885!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Debate-watchers in the Biden and Trump camps seem to agree on something. Biden had a bad night
'Oh, Joe.' That gasp, from patrons at a Chicago bar when U.S. President Joe Biden first stumbled verbally in his debate with Donald Trump, spoke for a lot of Americans on Thursday night.
BREAKING Ontario MPP removed from PC caucus over 'serious lapses in judgment'
Premier Doug Ford has removed a member of his caucus due to what he’s describing as 'serious lapses in judgment.' In a statement released Friday morning, the premier’s office said MPP Goldie Ghamari had been removed from the Progressive Conservative caucus 'effective immediately.'
Buying a car? Why you may have to pay more at some dealers if you use cash
It used to be cash was king and that you could get a better deal if you paid for a car in full, but now many dealers want you to finance your purchase so they can make more money.
What is going on with immigration in Canada? Here's what the data shows
Canada has welcomed more than 3.9 million new citizens since 2005, with nearly one third coming from India, the Philippines or China, according to a CTVNews.ca analysis.
Pope's top adviser, women who say they were abused by ex-Jesuit artist ask for mosaics to be removed
The scandal over a famous ex-Jesuit artist who is accused of psychologically, spiritually and sexually abusing adult women came to a head Friday after some of his alleged victims and the pope’s own anti-abuse adviser asked for his artworks not to be promoted or displayed.
Economy grew 0.3% in April, Statistics Canada reports
Statistics Canada says real gross domestic product grew 0.3 per cent in April, helped by strength in several industries including wholesale trade, mining and oil and gas extraction and manufacturing.
Liberal caucus staying quiet after major byelection defeat that rattled party
Liberal campaign co-chair Terry Duguid insisted Thursday that his caucus is united behind Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, even as the majority of elected Liberals remain silent on the prime minister's political future.
NEW Car thieves tried accessing Ontario transportation ministry database
One of Canada's largest police forces has knowledge of car thieves attempting to breach Ontario's Ministry of Transportation database, CTV News has learned.
Debate takeaways: Trump confident, even when wrong, Biden halting, even with facts on his side
Thursday’s U.S. presidential debate was a re-run that featured two candidates with a combined age of 159, but it went especially poorly for one of them, President Joe Biden.