City to take control of LRT today — 456 days late

The City of Ottawa is expected to take possession of the Confederation Line today, 456 days and numerous missed deadlines after it was supposed to get the keys to the $2.1-billion LRT system.

At the announcement this afternoon, Mayor Jim Watson will also say when the public will get to enter one of the 13 new stations and ride the electric trains. The grand opening is expected to happen in mid-September.

The original due date for the LRT handover was May 24, 2018. The completion of the LRT project triggers a payment of $202 million to Rideau Transit Group (RTG), the consortium that built the 12.5-kilometre Confederation Line.

But even after the city takes control of the line, there will be further planning and operational drills before the system opens to the public.

Running late

• Aug. 23, 2019: 456 days after the first deadline, the city is finally expected to get the keys to the Confederation Line.