Doug Ford commits to uploading Ottawa LRT system to province

It’s about time: Ontario Premier and Progressive Conservative Party leader Doug Ford was in Ottawa on Tuesday to make a massive announcement that could transform the city’s transit system.

During a press conference at Ambico, a warehouse near St. Laurent, which makes architectural door and frame solutions, Ford committed to having the province upload the city’s LRT. 

By the numbers: It would lead to massive savings for the city. Over 30 years the city would be projected to save anywhere from $8-9 billion. 

• “Their number one anchor around their neck is the cost of this LRT. We all saw what happened on Phase 1. We’re correcting that, all of us. Phase 2 is going to be much better, and Phase 3 will be great,” said Ford. 

A game changer: Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, who was at the announcement alongside a handful of city councillors, said it would bring a huge benefit to the city. You might recall in August when he launched his ‘Fairness for Ottawa’ campaign pleading with the upper levels of government for operating costs. 

Two weeks ago the federal government committed to giving the city $180 million over a decade to improve and maintain the buses and trains. He hinted at the time that provincial funding would most likely soon be coming.  

While the money saved isn’t technically for operating costs, the cash can be moved around to be used in different ways. Because it’s still early days, it’s unclear how all of that would work. 

• “What I said last August, when I talked about fairness for Ottawa, is that we don’t get the same deal as other cities, if you look at cities like Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton and Hamilton. The provincial government pays the capital costs on the lifecycle maintenance costs of their light-rail systems. They don’t pay that in Ottawa, so I think this is an opportunity to level the playing field,” said Sutcliffe. 

So how would it be run? That’s a question that still needs to be answered, but Ford said Metrolinx — the Crown corporation that manages road and transportation systems in Toronto and several other municipalities in Ontario — would take over costs for the rail system. 

Sutcliffe noted he expects it would be similar to the deal Toronto has where the municipality — in this case, OC Transpo — would still be responsible for its operation. That was a message shared by PC candidate Prabmeet Sarkaria, who also served as transportation minister in Ford’s government before the election was called. 

• “When you talk about lifecycle and capital costs, those are what we will continue to work with our team at Metrolinx to make sure this upload takes place,” said Sarkaria. “We will work very, very closely with (the City of Ottawa) to ensure that happens and to help deliver those better transit options for the city. I think it’s a big day for transit for the City of Ottawa. We want to be there hand in hand, supporting that and ensuring we can get that service delivered.”

What do councillors think? Stittsville representative Glen Gower, who also chairs the transit commission, said it was “like a moon landing for city council” before running away from the cameras. 

Alta Vista Ward Coun. Marty Carr, who was among those on hand at the announcement, said it’s about time the provincial government takes responsibility. She hopes it means money could be diverted to other transit and infrastructure projects in city wards. 

“Transit is supported in great part by fares and the transit levy. But what does it look like to have some flexibility? These are the questions we need answered,” Carr told the Lookout.

• “First of all we need to have better local bus service for communities like mine that have been negatively impacted by the introduction of Line 1 LRT. We used to have buses that go downtown, but now we have buses that go to Hurdman and then you take a train. After New Ways to Bus is implemented in April, for some residents,  ou will need to take two buses to Hurdman and then the train. My ward also has a laundry list of road and sewer projects that are waiting. I’ve also got very outdated parks and community centres.” 

Some reactions are mixed: Barrhaven East Coun. Wilson Lo, who previously worked for OC Transpo as a bus operator and in communications for a decade, said he was pleased relief is coming, but said it won’t answer all the transit problems. 

• “It doesn’t exactly address the systematic long-term issues of transit revenue. This is still taxpayer-funded and we are just uploading it to a different level of government,” Lo told the Lookout. “It just so happens to be a government that has more tools to take in deficits and debt. There are elements that are good but there are also elements that doesn’t change how the system is set up. 

The future of Stage 3: In his announcement Ford committed to seeing Stage 3 light rail built out to Kanata, Barrhaven and Stittsville. It’s unlikely trains would be rolling through those suburban communities for at least a decade, but there is debate over if such a system is even needed. 

The Barrhaven extension alone is an estimated $3.52 billion, whereas an LRT system expansion out to Kanata from Moodie would be another $1.8 billion. Those figures are somewhat out of date and could be even higher now. 

During the technical briefing in Oct. 2023, city staff did not make a supportive case for a Phase 3 project, saying it would cost an estimated $64 million per year to operate. It would bring only an estimated two per cent increase in ridership, increasing funds by $5 million annually.

Lo still believes an expanded bus rapid transit system is the answer for Barrhaven right now over a rail system, but said a project fully funded by the province could change things. 

• “Officially right now it’s still part of our transportation masterplan. That’s coming up for renewal later this year. It would complete the system if it comes out to Barrhaven, but whether it’s necessary is the question. My answer is no, we have a BRT we can operate instead,” said Lo.  

Ontario Liberals commit to similar plan

Throughout the campaign, many Liberal candidates across Ottawa have campaigned on a 50/50 funding split for transit operating costs between the province and the city. But Ottawa Centre Liberal candidate Thomas Simpson took it a step further by stating the LRT system should be offloaded to the province. 

The Lookout asked Ontario Liberal Party leader Bonnie Crombie about this on Sunday and she said it was a topic they would explore. But after Ford’s announcement on Tuesday Crombie committed to doing the same. 

• “The people of Ottawa deserve a government that shows up for them. My team has always had Ottawa’s back. We know you need more than you’re getting from Doug Ford, and Ontario’s Liberals are committed to working with Ottawa on a transportation system that does more for you,” said Crombie in a statement. 

The Liberal plan would also see a dedicated bus lane built out to Rockland so commuters there could easily access possible future Phase 3 extensions out to Kanata and Barrhaven. 

Stephen Blais, the Ontario Liberal candidate for Orléans, said their plan would be somewhat different because it would not include a partnership with Metrolinx. 

• “What we don’t want to do is operationalize LRT out of downtown Toronto. When the Minister of Transportation and the Premier are in Ottawa saying they want to fold LRT into Metrolinx, that sends shivers up my spine,” Blais told CTV.  “Metrolinx has failed to deliver every single light rail project in Toronto. One of them, Eglinton Crosstown, has been under construction for ten years. We don’t want decisions about LRT being made from class A office space overlooking Lake Ontario in downtown Toronto. We want those decisions being made here in Ottawa.”