Trillium Line hits another delay, opening timeline pushed back through the summer
OC Transpo officials say the north-south Trillium Line could hit yet another delay, with the timeline for opening being extended into the summer.
Councillors have been told in a slide presentation obtained by CTV News on Stage 2 construction that OC Transpo is giving themselves a wider timeline than had been previously announced with an opening day potentially being in September.
A slide says the transit authority's period for handover could be between April and June, with passenger service happening sometime between May and September, but a firm date had not been given. Officials had previously said the window for handover would be between February and April and passenger service would be between March and June.
Transit services general manager Renée Amilcar had said the anticipated opening date would be in "spring of 2024" in recent months.
Construction for the Trillium Line was originally scheduled to be completed in August 2022, but was delayed until September 2023. On Sept. 29, Amilcar said that based on the progress to date, a fall launch was no longer possible and would be delayed again.
This could mean the Trillium Line would open a full two years behind schedule. This would be the third major delay.
OC Transpo has updated its timeline for the Trillium Line's opening. (OC Transpo)At a media availability after last week's city council meeting, Amilcar said she was still anticipating the opening date to be sometime in the spring and added she would have "very good news" to share at Thursday's Light-Rail subcommittee meeting.
"I've always said that for the Trillium Line, it should be this spring, so I'm still there," Amilcar said last week.
The Trillium Line will run between Bayview Station and Riverside South, with a spur to the Ottawa Airport.
Confederation Line
The Confederation Line eastern extension saw some progress this week after OC Transpo announced an O-Train slowly travelled east of Blair Station for the first time Sunday evening.
"Travelling at walking speed, the train was escorted by staff on foot to verify the interface between the train’s pantograph and the OCS while the train was in motion," said OC Transpo's acting general manager Michael Morgan on Monday, calling it an "important milestone" on the O-Train east extension.
"Additional testing between Blair Station and Montréal Station is anticipated later this week as crews continue to test and validate the (overhead catenary system) system."
As part of Stage 2 of Ottawa's LRT system, the Confederation Line will be extended 12.5 km east from Blair Station to Trim Road, with five new stations at Montreal Road, Jeanne d'Arc Boulevard, Convent Glen, Place d’Orléans and Trim Road.
With files from CTV News Ottawa's Josh Pringle
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ontario woman surprised after 20-year-old fines suddenly tank credit score
An Ontario woman says that she was shocked when provincial fines from 20 years ago suddenly tanked her credit score last week, but the situation may not be as unusual as it seems, according to at least one debt expert.
Anger can harm your blood vessel function, study shows
Stress and anger can have a negative impact on cardiovascular health, studies have shown. New research points to just how the mechanism may work.
Freeland leaves capital gains tax change out of coming budget implementation bill, here's why
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation will be the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
A 98-year-old in Ukraine walked miles to safety from Russians, with slippers and a cane
A 98-year-old woman in Ukraine who escaped Russian-occupied territory by walking almost 10 kilometres (six miles) alone, wearing a pair of slippers and supported by a cane has been reunited with her family days after they were separated while fleeing to safety.
Will an 'out of sight, out of mind' cellphone policy make a difference in Ontario schools?
Ontario’s cellphone ban in schools has been met with mixed reaction, with some teachers concerned about constant policing of kids and experts applauding the change as necessary for student learning.
A Utah couple accidentally shipped their cat with an Amazon return. A week -- and 3 'miracles' -- later, they were on a plane to meet a stranger
The Amazon returns employee wasn't at work the day one of her colleagues at a California warehouse found a small, furry stowaway in a box mailed six days earlier from Utah. But Brandy Hunter got the call anyway.
Dueling protesters clash at UCLA hours after police clear pro-Palestinian demonstration at Columbia
Dueling groups of protesters clashed Wednesday at the University of California, Los Angeles, grappling in fistfights and shoving, kicking and using sticks to beat one another. Hours earlier, police burst into a building at Columbia University that pro-Palestinian protesters took over and broke up a demonstration that had paralyzed the school while inspiring others.
Poilievre kicked out of Commons after calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 'wacko'
Testy exchanges between the prime minister and his chief opponent ended with the Opposition leader and one of his MPs being ejected from the House of Commons on Tuesday -- and the rest of Conservative caucus walking out of the chamber in protest.
Avalanche eliminate Winnipeg Jets from playoffs with 6-3 road win
Mikko Rantanen's first two goals of the playoffs propelled the Colorado Avalanche to a 6-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday that clinched their opening-round playoff series in five games.