Many Ottawa LRT maintenance workers missing training, report finds

An Ottawa LRT train near Bayview Station in November 2021. (CTV News Ottawa)

A report prepared by the city of Ottawa's independent regulatory officer overseeing the light rail system shows many Alstom employees involved in inspections have not taken some of their mandatory training courses.

The Light Rail Regulatory Monitor and Compliance Officer Annual Report for 2022, which is to be presented to the transit commission on April 13, looks at inspection activities related to light rail vehicles, track, and the overhead catenary system that powers the train, as well as security management systems.

Rideau Transit Maintenance (RTM), the consortium that maintains the Confederation Line and its vehicles, was evaluated on 10 elements related to its implementation of track, light rail vehicle and overhead catenary system inspections and was found to be conformant with three elements, mostly conformant with one, and partially conformant with six. Key findings showed that RTM was unable to provide complete records about inspections, that it submitted a late oversight plan, and that employees involved with inspections were missing training.

Alstom manufactured the light rail vehicles used on the line, but has also been subcontracted by RTM to perform most of the inspection and maintenance activities on the vehicles, the tracks, and the catenary system.

According to the report, seven of nine monitored guideway technicians involved in track inspections were missing some mandatory training courses under Alstom’s training matrix, seven of nine monitored maintenance vehicle technicians were missing some mandatory training, and two of five monitored power technicians involved in catenary inspections were missing some mandatory courses.

RTM was largely conformant with regard to security, but the report found that there is no evidence of employee security clearance verifications being performed for contractor employees, as required by the project agreement with the city. RTM appears to only be performing HR reference checks, the report says.

The city says staff will continue to ensure that RTM undertakes all appropriate steps to achieve full conformance.

"OC Transpo has formally requested a corrective action plan and implementation plan for each of the findings. To ensure structured and timely follow-up, a list of remedial actions has been developed and will continue to be reviewed at regular meetings with the Regulatory Monitor and Compliance Officer, RTM, Alstom and City staff," a summary report prepared for the transit commission says.

This is the fourth monitoring report prepared by regulatory monitor and compliance officer (RMCO) Sam Berrada since the Confederation Line entered into service in September 2019. Berrada is the principal at SAB Vanguard Consulting, based out of Montreal.

CONTRACT EXTENSION FOR RMCO

The transit commission is also looking at extending Berrada's contract another five years. He was hired in 2018 ahead of the launch of the system and his five-year contract was set to expire March 2, 2023, but it was extended to April 30.

According to city staff, Berrada has expressed his willingness to continue in his role as for another five years from May 1, 2023 to April 30, 2028. Staff are also recommending increasing his compensation from $1,500 per diem to $1,700 per diem.

"The extension of Mr. Berrada’s term as RMCO for an additional five years will provide continuity and stability in the oversight of the Confederation Line as the East and West extensions go into revenue service and become operational in the coming years and is recommended for both this reason and in light of the RMCO’s strong performance in his regulatory oversight role over his prior term," a staff report says.