RTG asks for more time before saying when it can hand over keys

The group building the new LRT is asking the City for more time before it gives details about when the trains will be rolling.

The Rideau Transit Group had until Wednesday to address the City about when they would hand over the keys to the Confederation Line.

January 24^th was the deadline given to RTG- a date already pushed back in November.

But in a memo to council, City Manager Steve Kanellakos says RTG has asked for an extension. "The City remains committed to ensuring a safe and reliable world-class light rail transit system for its residents, and to ensuring that taxpayers are protected," Kanellakos said in the memo.

“I wouldn’t call it an extension,” says City of Ottawa General Manager of Transportation Services John Manconi. He says they have only asked for more time.

The initial expectation was to have trains ready by May 24, 2018, but Manconi says the City is not confident the Confederation Line will be ready.

"All indications are we're looking at an alternative date," he said. "We want that to be a firm date, we want that to be an unconditional date, as I've said over and over again. Safety and security and testing and commissioning and getting taxpayers of this city everything that they paid for in that P3 is our number one objective."

RTG now has until February 6^th.

Manconi says, “Safety and security and testing and commissioning and getting taxpayers of this city everything that they paid for in that P3 is our number one objective."