No date for opening western LRT Stage 2 extension
The city of Ottawa says labour and supply chain issues are putting pressure on finishing the western extension of Stage 2 LRT on time.
Kiewit-Eurovia-Vinci (KEV) is the construction consortium contracted with the extension of the Confederation Line. Director Chris Loeffler says, “At this time, we are still analyzing the schedule,” when asked whether the line would be completed by the target date of 2025.
Ottawa’s Stage 2 LRT will extend west from Tunney’s Pasture to Moodie Drive. In the east it will connect Blair Road to Trim Road.
Loeffler says, “In the west (extension), we have some real challenges, we have some geotechnical issues as well some other supply issues. We have had a hard getting enough manpower, we are bringing in a lot of carpenters and workers from other provinces to help out with that.”
This comes as the city marks a milestone for the eastern extension. Rail tracks have arrived and are being laid just past Blair station near Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard. The target completion date is 2024.
Loeffler says despite labour and supply issues, the eastern extension is on time. “As we look to the east, we expect to be on time. We are having a hard time getting some of our supplies out of different areas, some supply chain problems that we are seeing, we are working through those as they come but, all things considered, we look to be on time in the east.”
Mayor Jim Watson says the city will not commit to a specific completion day, “We learned a long time ago if we put in a specific date or month and we miss it by one day, we are better to just say 2024, and 2024 goes until December 31.”
Watson says, “This is a very important day and date for the people in the east, they have proven time and time again to be the best transit users on a per-capita basis than any part of the city. This is going to give them more of a faster, reliable transit service.”
In December, the city learned the extension of the Trillium line to Riverside South as part of Stage 2 will be delayed by nine months, and now has a target completion date of May 2023.
Stage 2 LRT comes with a price tag of $4.6 billion dollars and will be funded by the federal government, the province, and the city.
Despite the challenges, Watson says the project is still on-budget. “We are very fortunate we assigned the contract, which was a fixed price contract, prior to the pandemic. We are very fortunate to get that contract in under the wire, so the prices are fixed.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.