Province to consider imposing judicial inquiry on Ottawa LRT
The Ford government will consider imposing a public inquiry into Ottawa’s LRT debacle, sources tell CTV News Ottawa.
Cabinet could look at a number of measures to bring renewed public accountability to a project that is clearly not working, according to a senior provincial government source.
Cabinet could look at withholding further millions of dollars from the LRT project.
“This is not just the city of Ottawa’s money. This is Ontario’s money too,” the source said.
City council narrowly voted against a judicial inquiry into the LRT project on Wednesday. The 13-10 vote was Coun. Catherine McKenney’s second attempt to order an inquiry.
“This might look like a victory for Mayor Jim Watson, but it’s not over,” the source said about the council vote.
In a statement to CTV News Ottawa, a spokesperson for transportation minister Caroline Mulroney's office confirmd that "all options are on the table," saying the province is concerned about the system.
"With Ottawa City Council’s recent rejection of a judicial inquiry into problems plaguing Phase 1 of the LRT, we are increasingly concerned with the City’s ability to carry out future phases of work. Additionally, we have continuously heard from industry stakeholders and City councilors who have expressed concern and frustration about the execution of Phase 1," the statement said.
"Given the size and scope of Stage 2, we need to have full confidence that the City will be able to successfully deliver. As a result, we are looking at options that will increase the province’s oversight of the project, in an effort to protect taxpayers and transit riders. This may include a judicial inquiry, a review by Ontario’s Auditor General and further measures that may require provincial legislation.
"All options are on the table."
The LRT has been shut down since Sept. 19 after it derailed for the second time in six weeks. Partial service is due to resume on Friday.
The Ontario government has already threatened to withhold a $60 million hold back from Stage 1 of the project, which opened in 2019.
The province is contributing $1.2 billion to Stage 2 of the light rail project, and contributed $600 million to Stage 1.
'No contact from provincial officials,' Watson says
Speaking to reporters following Wednesday's city council meeting, Mayor Jim Watson said he had not heard anything from the province regarding the possibility of an inquiry.
"We've had no contact from provincial officials to do with any potential inquiry," Watson said, noting that Premier Doug Ford said complimentary things about how the city was handling LRT when he was last in Ottawa.
"The cost, if the province imposes, is borne by the provincial government and not the city. I think that you saw here today that the desire of council is to let the independent auditor general take a top-to-bottom review of all of the safety elements of the LRT project and report back to us in an efficient and expedited fashion."
City manager Steve Kanellakos said having a judicial inquiry and an audit happening at the same time would stretch city staff to their limits and could distract from the ongoing work on the LRT.
"There's no question that being committed to meet the requirements of the auditor general in addition to a judicial inquiry is going to distract and require a lot of attention by our senior managers, not only at OC Transpo, but across the whole organization in various departments who were engaged in that process over the last 10 years," he said.
Kanellakos said there could be millions of documents that could potentially be involved at multiple steps of both the auditor general's investigation and a potential judicial inquiry.
"My concern is that if you're into this double jeopardy process, if you want to call it that, or simultaneous process, we're going to have key staff at the city effectively distracted, trying to keep pace with the legal requirements to come up with the information and be present for interviews and all of the other things they have to do, to meet the requirements of the judicial inquiry and to meet the requirements of the auditor general."
'A blow to our reputation': McKenney
Reacting to the news as it broke, McKenney told Newstalk 580 CFRA's "Ottawa Now with Kristy Cameron" that they were worried about the possibility of other levels of government getting involved.
"I wanted other levels of government to see that we were taking responsibility for what happened as a council and we were getting to the bottom of it ourselves. Now, it looks like another level of government is doing that for us, potentially," McKenney said.
"It is a blow to our reputation. This light rail system has been an embarrassment for the city of Ottawa. People know that. It's why they're demanding answers and today council said no," McKenney added. "This is the result of that. Now we have another level of government stepping in, potentially, and saying, 'Now, we will do it for you.'"
McKenney said they would welcome a judicial inquiry no matter where it comes from.
"I really believe that we need that so that we are not here a year from now, five years from now, with the same issues in Stage 2."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.