Councillors calling for compensation, public inquiry over Eglinton Crosstown delays

Toronto City Council has voted in favour of a motion asking the province to conduct an independent third-party review into the delays around the Eglinton Crosstown light rail line (LRT).

The initial motion brought forward by councillors Josh Matlow and Mike Colle called for a public inquiry. It said that residents have “suffered incredible disruption” from the project over the past 11 years, as well as “unmanageable traffic and safety issues,” reduced customer traffic, loss of revenue and some business closures.

“Despite repeated calls by City Council demanding greater transparency and accountability, Metrolinx remains silent to explain the repeated delays, cost overruns and now is incapable of even setting a new forecasted completion date,” the motion reads.

However, the motion was amended during Thursday’s council meeting to change the request from a public inquiry to an independent review and that it will be conducted following the completion of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT.

The amendments were both approved.

The motion also calls on council and the mayor to request an update from Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney, as well as to work to bring about property tax rebates for impacted residents and businesses, implement free TTC service along Eglinton until the project is completed and to fund traffic wardens to be deployed at existing traffic “hot spots” along Eglinton Avenue, especially around the Allan Expressway.

The move comes after the councillors announced last week that they had obtained confidential Metrolinx documents showing that the province has no clear plan for finishing the problem-plagued line, which could cost close to $13 billion by the time its done.

Ontario Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney said last week that the Ford government has made it clear that it wants the line to open as soon as possible, and that people deserve a line that operates well and operates safely. However she did not address reports that the provincial transit agency has no clear plan to solve some of the remaining problems with the construction of the line.

"The delays plaguing the Eglinton Crosstown LRT are frustrating for everyone. But the reality is, we inherited this project from the Liberals, who mismanaged it from the start. We expected it to be open already, and we’re disappointed it’s still behind," a statement from Mulroney's office read Thursday when asked about the motion.

"But what we have learned from the impacts of economic challenges on construction projects worldwide, and the recent findings of the Ottawa LRT report, is that we can’t rush these projects to completion to make up for delays. Our government called a public inquiry to address the safety issues clearly plaguing the Ottawa LRT, following two derailments of the system. The circumstances surrounding the ECLRT are very different. Ontarians need transit that is safe and reliable and our focus is to ensure that the Eglinton Crosstown LRT is safely operational as soon as possible."

Metrolinx had said that it expected most of the work to be complete in the fall, but in an update in September they said that target would no longer be met. The agency has not set a new target date for the completion of the line so far.

"We are actively working to get the Eglinton Crosstown LRT open as soon as possible," Metrolinx said in a statement Thursday, adding that it will continue to push the consortium building the line to ensure that it is completed

"The public needs transit that is effective and reliable from the onset and we will only accept completion once we are satisfied that this has been achieved."

Mayor John Tory said last week that he is not in favour of a public inquiry as it would not help to get the line built faster. He suggested that Metrolinx probably does have a plan for getting the line built and called on them to provide more transparency around it.