Report of the Ottawa Light Railway Project
Summary
The Ottawa Light Rail Transit project was supposed to provide safe and reliable transportation for the residents of Ottawa. It was part of an integrated transit plan designed to operate with existing and future OC Transpo services to relieve traffic congestion in the downtown and beyond. The people of Ottawa were the intended beneficiaries of the project. Their tax dollars were being invested in a light rail transit (LRT) system that would make their commute a little easier, giving them more time with their family and friends instead of being stuck on a bus going nowhere in downtown traffic.
What follows is a high-level summary of the events that led to the OLRT1’s failure and the Commission’s views on how to avoid similar issues in the future, as well as examples of where the parties got things right.