The group building the new LRT says it needs more time to give City Council details about when the trains will be rolling.
The Rideau Transit Group had until Wednesday to address the City about when they would hand over the keys to the Confederation Line, a date known as the Revenue Service Availability date. The initial expection was an RSA of May 24, 2018.
But in a memo to council, City Manager Steve Kanellakos says RTG has asked for an extension, and are now expected to announce the RSA at a meeting of the City's Finance and Economic Development Committee on February 6.
"The City remains committed to ensuring a safe and reliable world-class light rail transit system for its residents, and to ensuring that taxpayers are protected," Kanellakos said in the memo. "The Public-Private Partnership procurement model contains numerous measures that ensure RTG meets its obligations under the Project Agreement."
The measures include things like fines.
City Councillor David Chernushenko told CFRA's Ottawa Now with Evan Solomon that a fine can be a motivator to keep RTG on time, but it can have a downside as well.
"I would rather it be completed safely, not rushed with dangerous practices being taken because of trying to avoid a fine," he said. "That's one of the dangers of a fine."
Councillor Michael Qaqish agreed.
"We want to make sure that it's safe and reliable for our residents. We're not going to be opening anything up if it's not safe, even if it's delayed by a month, two, or three months," Qaqish said.
City of Ottawa General Manager of Transportation Services John Manconi told reporters the City is not confident the Confederation Line will be ready by May 24.
"All indications are we're looking at an alternative date," he said. "We want that to be a firm date, we want that to be an unconditional date, as I've said over and over again. Safety and security and testing and commissioning and getting taxpayers of this city everything that they paid for in that P3 is our number one objective."