Province to consider imposing judicial inquiry on Ottawa LRT
Workers with Alstom and RTG watch as an LRT car moves along the Confederation Line on Oct. 27, 2021, near the spot where a train derailed on Sept. 19. (Jeremie Charron/CTV News Ottawa)
OTTAWA -
The Ford government will consider imposing a public inquiry over 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.
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.
More to come…
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