OTTAWA, Ontario — The Ottawa city council will seek a negotiated settlement in its long-running dispute over the builder of its troubled light rail Confederation Line, the CBC reports.
The council directed its head of transit services to negotiate a settlement with builder Rideau Transit Group after spending five hours in a closed-door update on the legal battle between the two sides.
The city has filed notices of default against RTG in March 2020 and September 2021, actions that helped spur a public inquiry last year that found widespread fault for the issues with the light rail line [see “Report from Ottawa light rail inquiry blasts city officials, transit consortium,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 1, 2022].
Mayor Mark Sutcliffe told reporters after the meeting that he was unable to provide details about the meeting — although more information would be available soon — but said, “I think the feeling of council is that it is in the best interest of taxpayers and residents of Ottawa, and OC Transpo passengers, that this is our best path forward.”
Asked if it was a move to improve relations with with RTG, he said, “the short answer to the question is ‘yes.’”
A hearing on the city’s claim that RTG had not met its contractual obligations has been slated to begin Feb. 14.
