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Ford government appoints commissioner for Ottawa LRT public inquiry

An Ottawa LRT car at Blair Station on the first day of service since a derailment on Aug. 19. An Ottawa LRT car at Blair Station on the first day of service since a derailment on Aug. 19.
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The provincial government has appointed a commissioner for the public inquiry into Stage 1 of Ottawa’s light rail transit system.

The Ministry of Transportation announced the Honourable Justice William Hourigan will lead the inquiry into the “commercial and technical circumstances that led to the breakdown and derailment of Stage 1.”

“The challenges plaguing Stage 1 of the Ottawa LRT are unacceptable and disappointing," Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney said in a release. "This public inquiry is a prudent approach to uncovering the cause of these issues and preventing them from happening again.”

A report is expected to be released in August.

Ottawa's LRT system was shut down for nearly two months this fall after a Sept. 19 derailment, the second on the Confederation Line in six weeks.

Hourigan will have a mandate to establish the scope of the inquiry that will investigate procurement, delivery, and operations of Stage 1. He will also be responsible for delivering a report and any recommendations by August 2022.

Justice Hourigan specialized in commercial litigation and has more than 25 years of experience in law and public service. He has served on the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, and the Court of Appeal for Ontario.

News of the appointment comes on the same day the city’s Finance and Economic Development Committee receives an update on Stage 2 of the light rail system.

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