O-Train East extension testing to begin ‘relatively early’ in 2026, mayor says

An LRT vehicle arrives at the Hurdman Station in this undated photo. (Ted Raymond/CTV News Ottawa)

Testing on the O-Train East extension into Orléans should begin “relatively early in the new year” but there is no “certain timetable” to open O-Train Line 1 in the east end, according to Mayor Mark Sutcliffe.

Work continues on the O-Train Line 1 extension from Blair Station to Trim Station after unspecified “deficiencies” were discovered by OC Transpo during a documentation review and on-site assessments this fall. OC Transpo told CTV News Ottawa the work to address included “specialized track infrastructure and sections of reinforced concrete.”

Appearing on Newstalk 580 CFRA’s The Morning Rush with Bill Carroll, Mayor Sutcliffe said the next phase of the preparations to open the O-Train East extension will begin in January.

“Relatively early in the new year, we’re going to see the testing happening,” Sutcliffe said Tuesday morning.

“You know you’ve got to meet certain criteria; once that’s done, we can open it to service.”

Interim Transit Services general manager Troy Charter told the Transit Committee on Nov. 24 that OC Transpo and its partners have made “significant progress towards completing the testing and commissioning.”

Charter suggested OC Transpo plans to open the O-Train East extension “early in the new year,” adding by the end of March is “achievable.”

Sutcliffe told CFRA, “The number one objective here is not to meet a certain timetable, as happened in the past.”

“But to open it when it’s ready, when it’s safe and when the people that we hired to build this service have delivered on their commitment to us, the residents and the taxpayers of Ottawa. We don’t want to take this off their hands until we’ve held them accountable and they’ve delivered the service, the infrastructure that we’ve paid for. It’s moving along; we’re making progress.”

The steps to launch O-Train Line 1 to the east end after substantial competition is achieved with construction include five to 10 days of pre-trial running, followed by the mandatory trial running that will last a minimum of 21 days.

The trial running period will “exercise and evaluate the performance” of the system’s infrastructure, vehicles, operating and maintenance personnel and operating procedures, according to staff.

Sutcliffe says the East extension will be a “game-changer” for O-Train Line 1.

“Line 1 right now, the first phase of that goes from Tunney’s Pasture to Blair. When you extend it all the way deep into Orléans, you’re going to see people in the suburbs of our city be able to use light rail to get downtown,” Sutcliffe said.

“At rush hour, they’re going to be able to do that in 35 to 40 minutes and they’re going to be zooming past cars that are stuck in traffic on the 174.”

Earlier this year, staff said the O-Train extension between Blair and Trim stations was expected to open by the end of 2025. The original plan called for the East extension to open in 2022, then the target date was moved to 2024.